Hazard level for Water scarcity

Water Scarcity originates from a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period, usually a season or more. This deficiency results in a water shortage for some activity, group, or environmental sector. Different from other hazards in that it develops slowly, sometimes over years, and its onset can be masked by several factors. Water Scarcity can be devastating: water supplies dry up, crops fail to grow, animals die and malnutrition and ill health become widespread. Different types of drought can de distinguished (e.g. Wilhite, 2006): meteorological, hydrological, agricultural and socio-economic droughts. In ThinkHazard! drought hazard refers to hydrological drought, a shortage of river runoff, in relation to the population density. The classification of hazard is based on the likelihood of the hazard exceeding predefined thresholds. The thresholds are based on hazard frequency and intensity and set using expert judgement. A higher hazard classification in ThinkHazard! indicates that there is greater potential for damage or disruption to activities or a project in that region, according to the underlying hazard data.