Droughts can result in heavy crop and livestock losses, in which the poor are usually disproportionately hurt. Poor livestock owners tend to engage in distress sales of livestock at depressed prices, leaving them extremely vulnerable to drought and other shocks in future, and possibly trapping them permanently in chronic poverty. Recurrent droughts in Sub-Saharan Africa over the last two decades have had devastating effects on natural resources and on livelihoods. Hurricanes in certain coastal zones can cause major declines in agricultural output as well as destruction of important infrastructure. Rural households which are most dependent on agriculture lose the most, particularly the poorest. Earthquakes can cause particular.
