旱灾 (hàn zāi): drought

This summer it didn't rain for three months straight, and the small river in the village dried up. This drought caused almost all the crops to wither and die, and the villagers had to transport water from far away to drink.

The news said that some countries in Africa are facing a severe drought. Many people are getting sick because of the water shortage, and international organizations are urgently sending food and drinking water there.

Because of an unusually severe drought last year, the reservoir's water level dropped to a historic low, and the government had to restrict the hours when residents could use water each day.

The long-term drought not only cost farmers their income but also caused many local factories to shut down due to water shortages, so young people had no choice but to leave their hometown to find work elsewhere.