Drought

This passage discusses the devastating effects of drought.

Lexile Level: 1130L

Categories: Animals & Nature

When an area doesn't get enough rain for a really long period of time, it's called a drought. Like earthquakes and floods, droughts are natural disasters. A lack of rainfall causes lots of terrible things, including wildfires, war, disease, and thirst. Another huge consequence of drought is famine, otherwise known as severe hunger, that can lead to malnutrition and even death. Droughts often cause famines because there is not enough water for food to grow properly, and people go hungry. Drought is actually the most expensive natural disaster in the United States, costing the country between 6 billion and 8 billion dollars each year. The best way to handle a drought is to plan out ahead of time how the situation will be handled. Some communities conserve water during drought by not allowing people to water lawns and wash cars. It's good to have these plans in place so that water is not wasted.