Assessing Meteorological Drought in Tehsil Landi Kotal: A Comparative Analysis of SPI and RAI

Abstract

In this study, drought is a prolonged period of abnormally low precipitation, causing water scarcity. Factors include reduced rainfall due to climate change, deforestation disrupting local water cycles, and excessive water consumption by agriculture and growing populations. The objective of this explanation is to provide a concise understanding of drought as a phenomenon characterized by extended periods of unusually low precipitation that lead to water scarcity. It also aims to highlight the contributing factors, such as climate change-induced reduced rainfall, deforestation's impact on local water cycles, and the strain on water resources from agricultural practices and population growth. We discuss the current stage of development for each category of drought indicators, including meteorological, hydrological, agricultural, comprehensive, remote sensing-based, and integrated. Every year, the field of remote sensing-derived drought indicators proposes numerous new drought indices. However, the development of these indices, which rely on meteorological and hydrological data, primarily focuses on practical applications. To paint a complete picture of the drought situation, combining drought indices from many domains appears to be the most promising but also challenging approach.