Types of Drought in India: One Drought, Four Faces

Not every drought is the same kind of problem. This article covers the four recognised types, and how one can trigger the next.

One Drought, Four Faces

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RAINFALL SHORTAGE

Meteorological

Seasonal rainfall below 75% of the long-term average

WATER DEPLETION

Hydrological

Falling surface and groundwater levels

CROP STRESS

Agricultural

Soil moisture too low to meet crop needs

SUPPLY VS DEMAND

Socioeconomic

Demand for food, fodder or water outstrips supply

The chain: a rainfall shortfall can cascade through all four types, one triggering the next.

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Must Know

• Meteorological drought means seasonal rainfall falls below 75% of the long-term average, per the India Meteorological Department’s definition.
• The IMD grades it further. A rainfall deficit of 26-50% counts as moderate drought; a deficit beyond 50% counts as severe drought.
• Hydrological drought follows when prolonged low rainfall depletes surface and groundwater supplies below normal levels.
• Agricultural drought sets in when soil moisture drops below what crops need. It is usually triggered by the meteorological and hydrological types before it.
• Socioeconomic drought occurs when demand for water, food or fodder outstrips supply, because of a weather-driven shortfall.

Good to Know

• The IMD also declares drought based on monsoon timing, not just rainfall totals. A 2-week delay in monsoon onset, or a 2-week early withdrawal, both count as drought indicators.
• Consecutive dry spells within an otherwise normal monsoon season can also trigger a drought declaration, even without an overall seasonal rainfall deficit.
• These four types usually cascade in sequence. A meteorological shortfall causes hydrological depletion, which then causes agricultural stress, which finally causes socioeconomic strain.

Test Yourself

Please wait…

1. According to the India Meteorological Department, meteorological drought means seasonal rainfall falls below what percentage of the long-term average?

50%

90%

75%

25%

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Great to Know

• Separating these four types matters for policy. A region can face meteorological drought without agricultural drought, if stored groundwater or irrigation absorbs the shortfall.
• Socioeconomic drought is the only type defined by economics rather than physical measurement. It depends on how supply and demand interact, not on a rainfall or soil-moisture threshold alone.
• The cascading relationship explains why early rainfall monitoring matters. Catching a meteorological shortfall early can help prevent it from escalating into agricultural or socioeconomic drought.
• Irrigation infrastructure and groundwater reserves act as buffers between drought types. They can delay, or sometimes prevent, a meteorological shortfall from becoming a full agricultural crisis.