Bill McKitten hopes to restore calamities like these, with the added benefit of destroying the global economy.
1) India: 1769 – 1773. This drought affected over 10 million people, which at the time, was approximately 1/3 of the entire population. Extreme food shortages, widespread disease and crippling starvation were only a few of the results from this drought.
2) China: 1876 – 1879 (Also known as the Great Famine). This drought caused rivers to run dry and killed approximately 9 million people. The drought also spread to other places during the time period, including Iran and Russia. In China, over 9 provinces were almost completely destroyed from lack of food and water. It is thought that when including all the countries affected by this drought, the numbers of those who perished climbs even higher.
3) Africa: 1981 – 1984. During the crisis, an astounding 20 nations of Africa were under severe drought. Entire rivers and lakes completely dried up. Up to 20,000 people starved to death each month. Although the total number of people who perished is not completely known, it is estimated that over 1 million people died as a direct result of the drought.
4) United States: 1930 – 1936. This period of time is also known as the Dust Bowl. Across the Great Plains, years of over use, lack of crop rotation, and improper removal of trees, along with the lack of rain, led to enormous crop loss. Throughout the United States, approximately 80% of the US experienced drought conditions and approximately 65% of the US was considered in extreme drought conditions.
5) Southwestern United States: 1950 – 1957. The extreme heat during this time only exasperated the problem and made complete crop failure a given. By the time this drought ended, 244 out of 254 counties in Texas were considered federal disaster areas.
But last summer was far worse, with almost the entire country experiencing exceptional droughtflood conditions.
Being the Mr. Rogers of global warming, Bill Nye the Science Guy® will turn more kids off to science than Bill (“Who”?”) McKibbin could muster.