The Stream, July 27: Is India Facing Drought?

A new study found that only 30 percent of Arctic sea ice loss in the last few decades can be attributed to natural causes, meaning the remaining 70 percent is likely due to man-made climate change, the Guardian reported.

Drought and Water Shortages
India’s government will convene a meeting of ministers to discuss the possibility of a drought as monsoon rains fall 22 percent below average, Reuters reported.

Water shortages have contributed to poor hygiene and high child mortality rates in the Pacific island country of Kiribati, AFP reported, citing United Nations sources.

Floods
Heavy rains have continued in China, with the latest downpour pounding the city of Tianjin, near Beijing, with over 300 millimeters of rain (11.8 inches), Xinhua reported.

Meanwhile, flash floods in Indonesia killed eight people and caused buildings and bridges to collapse, according to Xinhua.

United States
California has unveiled plans to build two 35-mile tunnels to divert water from the Sacramento River to arid central and southern regions of the state, Reuters reported. Proponents of the plan say it would take pressure off of the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta, where current water transfer schemes damage fish habitat.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek