Southeast Asia to suffer intense, more frequent drought without government action: UN and Asean report
- The disaster has affected more than 66 million people in Southeast Asia over the past three decades
- Study also finds it disproportionately impacts the poor, heightening inequality and increasing the prospect of violent conflict in the region
“Ready for the Dry Years: Building resilience to drought in Southeast Asia”, released on April 19, said the cumulative impact of drought in the region disproportionately affected the poor and heightened inequality, which in turn increased the prospect of violent conflict.
Over the past three decades, droughts have affected more than 66 million people in Southeast Asia. One such person is 23-year-old Bonreach Kleng, a volunteer coordinator in Cambodia.
“It’s really hard for us because it’s really hot throughout the year. In some areas of Phnom Penh, there is no water. We live on the third floor so we have to carry water from the ground [floor] to the top,” she said.
“Because of the drought there is no water to produce electricity. The government cannot do anything. They just tell us to buy power banks.”
The drought-prone area of Southeast Asia is concentrated in the north and south of Vietnam, southern Sulawesi and Borneo, and the central part of Java, Sulawesi and Papua.
