Drought in Malawi
According to the latest Global Drought Observatory Report published by the Copernicus Emergency Management Service, vast parts of southern Africa have been affected by a severe drought, particularly within the Zambezi Basin. Very low discharge has been registered in many rivers in the same area.
A comparison of these Copernicus Sentinel-2 images, acquired on 22 February 2024 and 12 January 2025, shows a marked difference in vegetation cover across central and southern Malawi. In the more recent image, large areas appear drier and less vegetated, particularly around Lake Malawi and across the central plateau near Lilongwe.
Copernicus data plays a crucial role in tracking vegetation health and supporting early warning systems for drought risk management across the world.