Lake Kariba, the largest human-made lake in the world, has dropped to near-record low levels. The lack of water is a major power supply problem for Zambia and Zimbabwe.
What's happening?
The Kariba Dam was built more than 60 years ago. When it was being constructed, present-day Zambia and Zimbabwe were under British colonial control. The dam formed Lake Kariba, and it stands more than 400 feet high and is nearly 1,900 feet wide. It has an installed capacity of 1626 megawatts and helps contribute to the regional economies around it.
Lake Kariba is nearly 150 miles long, making it the world's largest human-made lake. A devastating drought in Southern Africa driven by a strong El Niño has resulted in low lake levels that have officials considering shutting down the dam for the first time in its history.
"The situation is getting worse. The water levels are dropping. Sometimes you see an island where you normally should not see an island," 64-year-old boat captain Peter Mashonga told the Guardian. "This is not the first time for the lake to drop. But, the way it has dropped now, it is worse than in 1996, when it last happened."
Why are low lake levels on Lake Kariba important?
While our overheating planet may not have caused the drought that is leading to lowering water levels on Lake Kariba, our warming world has exacerbated the parched conditions Southern Africa is enduring.
"Over the past 60 years, Africa has observed a warming trend that has become more rapid than the global average. In 2023, the continent experienced deadly heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, tropical cyclones, and prolonged droughts," according to WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo.
Authorities have rationed the water that flows through the dam, recently amounting to nearly day-long power cuts for Zambia and 17-hour-long cuts for Zimbabwe. The reduction in power supplied by the Lake Kariba Dam is having significant impacts on the region's economies and the livelihoods of the people who live there.
What's being done about Southern Africa's drought?
The impacts of Southern Africa's unprecedented drought have left 27 million people food insecure and 21 million children suffering from malnutrition, according to the World Food Programme. The organization assists nearly 80 million people in around 80 countries each year and is accepting donations to reach its goal of raising $369 million dollars through March of next year.
We can all help raise awareness of the plight of Southern Africa by talking about climate issues with family and friends and helping to advocate for change at our workplaces to help mitigate large corporations' massive environmental impacts.
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