Spatio-temporal dynamics of drought using the remote-sensed data and Google Earth Engine (GEE) in the semi-arid region of India

Ghosh, Arijit , Siddiqui, Azizur Rahman

2026-03-01 DYNAMICS OF ATMOSPHERES AND OCEANS 2026   113(卷), null(期), (null页)

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Droughts are a significant environmental hazard that disrupts the global hydrological and ecological balance. The Bundelkhand region of the Indian subcontinent is vulnerable to drought. Therefore, the principal objectives of this study are i) to recognize the severity and frequency of drought occurrences and ii) to estimate the spatial extension of drought during diverse seasons in a semi-arid region of India. The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is measured using longterm NASA Power precipitation data. Cloud-based platforms have been applied to process large datasets competently, access real-time information, and improve drought predictions. Vegetation Condition Index (VCI) has been measured using Google Earth Engine (GEE) to recognize the intensity and magnitude of drought hazards. The result indicates that 2001 and 2003 were the driest years in the MP Bundelkhand (-2.23) and UP Bundelkhand (-1.73). In addition, the Banda district of UP experienced a total of 127 drought months (moderate, severe, and extreme drought), followed by Lalitpur (113) and Panna (116). Furthermore, in post-monsoon, the highest VHI value was 74.23, and the lowest was 17.23. The winter season has experienced severe drought (2000-2023), whereas other seasons have experienced moderate droughts. It is prominent that in the case of drought measurement, mean value estimation is possible by using cloudbased real-time data analysis. However, this comprehensive study will be beneficial for future researchers and policymakers to measure the drought in India and around the globe.