The skies over Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam were extremely smoky on March 5, 2010, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite passed overhead and captured this image. Hundreds of active fires were detected by the sensor; locations are outlined in red. (NASA Earth Observatory)By Stephanie Dearing
Digital Journal
A drought affecting Southeast Asia for the past six months shows no signs of letting up any time soon. Affected countries include China, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar and Lao PDR.
The drought affects five provinces in China, as well as the countries of Myanmar, Thailand, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Viet Nam. Rainfall has been well below normal, devastating crops and fires are a growing problem. The rainy season is anticipated to begin in May, and officials hope that will spell the end to the drought. The drought has been so severe that river water levels are at lows not seen for 50 years, possibly longer. Higher than normal temperatures have been sending people to hospitals, and there has been an increase in insect predation of the region's major food crop, rice.
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