Drought emergency in northern Marshall Islands
- Countries
- Marshall Islands
- Sources
- OCHA
- Publication date
Highlights
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Following persistently low rainfall during the dry season, the Republic of the Marshall Islands declared a state of emergency for the northern Marshall Islands on 19 April 2013.
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Severe drought conditions are being experienced in Wotje and the atolls of the Marshall Islands north of Majuro.
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An initial assessment of the impact of the drought is underway through the mobilization of three multi-disciplinary teams, led by the National Disaster Management Office and supported by experts from OFDA/USAID and International Organization for Migration (IOM).
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The severe drought conditions may have affected drinking water supplies, rainwater catchment storage, salinity of groundwater and agriculture / food production on the atoll islands requiring immediate as well as long-term response measures.