CHARACTERIZATION OF DROUGHT VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT USING STANDARDIZED PRECIPITATION INDEX (SPI): MERITS AND LIMITATIONS

Drought considered one of most devastating natural hazards can be monitored using a variety of indices. Twenty-five years after its launch, the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) is utilized both in central investigations and reasonable applications in drought related studies. This study covers the fundamental concept of drought ranging from its classification to its utility and the potential indices used for monitoring droughts. An elaborate review of the SPI is given in which the definition, understanding the calculation of SPI, the applicability of the index and its future scope are discussed. Various literature on the use of SPI is briefed to augment the onset of drought using SPI.