LUSAKA, Sept. 6 (Xinhua) -- Zambia, which experienced a severe drought during the 2023/2024 rainy season, is expected to see normal to above-normal rains in most areas, a senior government official said on Friday.
The forecast for the 2024/2025 rainy season indicates that most parts of the country will experience normal to above-normal rainfall, with episodic heavy rain and flooding in flood-prone areas, said Minister of Green Economy and Environment Mike Mposha.
However, he said that the northeastern part of the country may receive normal to below-normal rainfall.
During a press briefing, the minister said that the rains are likely to start in October in the northern, western and northwestern parts of the country.
He attributed the anticipated favorable rainfall to the current neutral phase of the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, which is projected to transition to a weak La Nina phase during the 2024/2025 rainy season.
"This weak La Nina, characterized by below-normal sea surface temperatures in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean, is expected to primarily influence Zambia's rainfall pattern during the season," he said.
Zambia and other countries in the southern African region experienced poor rains during the 2023/2024 season due to the El Nino weather phenomenon, which negatively impacted agricultural production and electricity generation, leading to a power deficit.
As a result, a total of six million people are currently in need of humanitarian assistance due to crop failures, with the drought affecting 84 of the country's 116 districts. ■