The Stream, May 14: In North Korea, Drought Leaves 10 Million Residents Hungry

The Global Rundown

The Red Cross warns that drought is affecting more than 10 million people in North Korea. As pollution chokes India’s rivers, the “cursed” Chambal river runs clean. Mismanaged plastic waste causes up to 1 million deaths in the developing world each year, according to a report. Coffee yield in Tanzania tumbles due to drought. Farmers struggle to recover after a 2018 drought devastates crops in Guatemala and Honduras.

“Before it was beautiful, we used to have two harvests a year. Now not one [crop] survives. Now we cannot do anything. This drought does not end.” –Transito Gutierrez, a resident of Tizamarte, Guatemala, in reference to failed crops during the 2018 season. The drought killed 90 percent of crops and affected more than 370,000 people in the “dry corridor” of eastern Guatemala and western Honduras. As dry conditions continue, farmers are struggling to recover and some families are migrating to the United States. Al Jazeera

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By The Numbers

10.1 million People in North Korea that are in need of urgent food assistance following poor food production in 2018 and early seasonal drought this year. The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies warns that the worst drought conditions will likely occur in coming months. Relief Web

In context: North Korea Faces Drought Following Months of Low Rainfall.

23 percent Proportion that Tanzania’s coffee yield could fall next season as drought hampers production. The country is Africa’s fourth-largest coffee producer. Bloomberg

Science, Studies, and Reports

An estimated 400,000 to 1 million people in the developing world die each year due to mismanaged waste, according to the Tearfund charity. A key portion of the deaths are due to plastic pollution in waterways, which causes blockages, flooding, and the spread of waterborne disease. The Guardian

On the Radar

India’s Chambal river runs through badlands and rough terrain. For centuries, the region has been considered “cursed,” and development around the Chambal has been minimal. Now, as India’s major rivers contain a multitude of chemicals and pollution, people are beginning to embrace the pristine Chambal as a source of drinking and irrigation water. The Guardian

Kayla Ritter

Kayla Ritter is a recent graduate of Michigan State University, where she studied International Relations and Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. She is currently based in Manton, Michigan. Kayla enjoys running, writing, and traveling. Contact Kayla Ritter