Droughts and water shortages plague far eastern states of Luziyca
Irrigation canal providing Feniksgrad's water supply, 2013
FENIKSGRAD, PUSTINIA - As the northeastern states receive record-breaking amounts of rainfall so far this summer (with Bethlehem getting 27.5 mm of rain in the past 24 hours alone), the far eastern states located in the Great Desert are plagued with water shortages and droughts, since 2014, with no signs of abating.
In the State of Pustinia, Governor Ted Vorokovich has declared a state of emergency, due to record low rainfall in the past two years, causing severe drought, especially in several parts of the state, harming the state's agricultural sector, and causing many towns and cities, including the state capital, Feniksgrad, to impose water rationing.
Therefore, in order to "conserve our state's water supply," an outdoor water-use restriction was imposed earlier today, which would ban irrigation of lawns, planting of non-native grass, and recreational uses of water (i.e. swimming pools and waterslides) throughout the state. In addition, it mandates that car washes recycle their water, and bans washing vehicles on private property outside of a car wash.
To the north of Pustinia, the State of Lazar also has seen a major drought (although none to the likes seen in Pustinia), to the point that Governor William Makarov has mandated water rationing for the entire state.
In addition, the southern parts of Evpraksiya, the eastern counties of Khariton, the eastern counties of Kozunitan, and northern counties within the state of Voshkhod are under similar restrictions, as well as the southern counties of Nantai.
These are not new: in 2003 and 2004, a drought struck Pustinia, causing water rationing and the implementation of stricter water-use controls, and there has been a major drought during the 1930s which caused the creation of many ghost towns throughout the Great Desert. In addition, there is significant evidence pointing towards a severe mega-drought from the 1400s until the mid-1600s.
What it could mean for the future of the land
Climate scientist Lena Westermark at the Royal University of Jerusalem has stated that "the prolonged drought currently experienced in the eastern states of Luziyca is quite worrisome," considering that "in recent years, there has been a movement of people eastwards, as these eastern states are attractive to retirees and to people who want to achieve the Luziycan dream."
She said that "this drought has a risk of transforming into a mega-drought, much like the one that was experienced from the 1400s to the mid-1600s. But this time, it is because we are extracting too much of the scarce groundwater in the Great Desert and diverting too much of our streams and rivers to feed major cities like Feniksgrad or Po'ai. We are using the water to grow agricultural crops which suck up too much water so we can not have to import food."
"Unless if politicians and people agree to severely reduce their water usage to sustainable levels," Westermark warned, "we will find ourselves entering a mega-drought, and even if we do, we cannot even guarantee that we will not have a mega-drought."
The impacts
The impact on the consumer should be obvious: since 2014, meat prices have risen, especially since Pustinia is one of the major centers for production of meat products (the other being Shenitsa), due to a decrease in supply of meat products (as a consequence of the drought).
But in drought-stricken town of Blagoyev in Pustinia, rancher Dragan Kostov has expressed his concern.
"I am afraid that this is gonna end up like the Dust Bowl," Kostov said. "We've been ranching here for six generations now, and we just barely held on after the Dust Bowl, which killed much of our cattle. I have a hard time feeding my cattle, I have a hard time even giving them water. And with the water rationing, I am afraid that this might be it for my ranch."
The federal response
In response to the drought in the eastern states, President Sera Svensson has stated at a press conference in Bethlehem that "In light of the recent prolonged drought in Pustinia and Lazar, we're going to give ₤2.5 billion ($5 billion) in disaster relief funds to assist those impacted by the drought within those two states."
However, Leader of the Official Opposition, Paul Nikolovich, of the Social Credit Party made a controversial statement, saying "it is their [the residents in the far eastern states] own goddamned fault that they chose to live in a desert." Following social media outrage, Nikolovich retracted his statement and apologized for "causing any offense to those affected by this terrible disaster."
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