August 10, 2021 - A Very Dry Season in Madagascar

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On August 8, 2021, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
(MODIS) on board NASA’s Terra satellite acquired a true-color image of
western Madagascar on a sunny day mid-way through the dry season.

The image captures the Mangoky River, the island nation’s longest
river, as it carries silt and mud on the journey from its source in the
Central Highlands to its broad delta on the Mozambique Channel. A
triangle-shaped lake, called Lake Ihotry, also sits on the delta south
of the Mangoky. The white areas between the lake and the Mozambique
Channel are a number of sand- and silt-laden ponds which, combined with
the Ihotry-Mangoky Delta, form an area rich in biodiversity and ideal
for large numbers of migrating and breeding birds. South of the lake is
the town of Morombe, which sits in the Atsimo-Andrefana region and
provides an airport to the region.

The image gives clues that indicate low levels of water, such as the
relatively thin width of the Mangoky River, especially inland. Also,
the outline of Lake Ihotry also appears smaller than usual and the
lake’s tan color suggests shallow depth. While it is normal for the
size of Lake Ihotry and the width or the Mangoky to fluctuate with the
seasons, with water abundant during the wet season (November through
March) and sparse in the dry season (April through October), the
differences seen here are actually the result of a serious multi-year
drought. While drought affects this region, it is even more
severe—severe enough to threaten lives—further south.

According to a report published by ReliefWeb on July 31, an estimated
20 to 70 percent of the population in ten districts across southern
Madagascar are either currently or are expected to receive humanitarian
food assistance through October. The report further states “During the
lean period (October 2021-January 2022), food stocks from below-average
harvests will run out and food prices will be above average considering
the dried cassava shortfall at national level. As a result, in Ampanihy
and Ambovombe, where cassava production is expected to be 75-90 percent
below the average will likely face Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes.”

On August 2, NASA’s Earth Observatory published a story explaining the
drought in Madagascar, complete with a map that illustrates the
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). This index, which uses
data collected by MODIS on Terra, provides a measure of the health of
vegetation based on reflected red and near-infrared light. The areas
where the plants are more stressed than average correlates with the
area of the drought. To see the map and learn more about the ongoing
drought, the story can be reached HERE

Image Facts
Satellite: Terra
Date Acquired: 8/8/2021
Resolutions: 1km (321.6 KB), 500m (932 KB), 250m (603.2 KB)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit: MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC



https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/gallery/individual.php?db_date=2021-08-10

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