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The term "drought" generally has different degrees of meaning, depending upon the normal climate of the country where drought is occurring. For example, in a tropical country, where heavy rainfall is the norm, drought may refer to a period of a matter of mere weeks without rain.

In its truest sense, though, drought is an extended period of lack of rain, which can have severe environmental effects, including:

  • an increase in the danger of bushfires, dust storms and other drought-related natural disasters
  • loss of vegetation which, in turn, makes the ground more prone to erosion from wind and, when it comes, rain and flooding.
  • increased desertification, i.e. land which was once fertile becomes desert, a situation from which the land rarely recovers.
  • Increased salination of rivers and waterways as more salt comes up from the ground, tainting the water supplies.
  • Extended droughts may also eventually lead to the loss of some species of animals or plants.
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Q: What effect do droughts have on the environment?
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