Images
August 10, 2021 - A Very Dry Season in Madagascar
Follow @NASA_MODIS
Tweet
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
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
