Drought: Past Incidents

Here is is a brief history of past droughts:

1900 India: Between 250,000 and 3.25 million die from drought and starvation.
1902 Australia: Wheat crops yielded nearly record low totals while cold weather hurt cattle.
1921-1921 Soviet Union: In the region of Ukraine, somewhere between 250,000 to 5 million lose thier lives.
1932-1934 Soviet Union: In the Ukraine and North Caucasus region, between 5 to 10 million die.
1936 China: In the Sichuan Province, nearly 34 million farmers were displaced. 5 million died.
1930-1937 United States: In the Great Plains, the central portion of the country, dust bowls and drought destroyed rural districts.
1968-1974 Sahel: Between 100,000 and 250,000 were killed and agricultural output crashed.
1973-1974 Ethiopia: The drought resulted in a military coup and a violent change of power.
1983 Bolivia: Over 80% of crop profits were lost and damages were measured at US $417.2 million.

Sources Consulted