The phrase "crippling drought" means a severe and devastating lack of water for a long period of time, which causes significant harm and damage to the environment, crops, and people's livelihoods. Full definition
On a global scale, places like the United States have long experienced crippling droughts in, among other places, California, while the UAE face clear struggles in building livable and sustainable cities in a desert. (reimag.co.za)
While the western United States is suffering from crippling drought, the Midwest is reeling from an unprecedented outbreak of avian flu, mostly among egg - laying chickens and other forms of poultry. (eatdrinkpolitics.com)
We are seeing historic, crippling droughts across the world from California to India, and flooding rains from Texas to France and Germany. (sustainablebusiness.com)