Map of Bangladesh
What Bangladesh is like
Bangladesh is a LEDC country. All the people in Bangladesh are very friendly and helpful, the markets are very interesting, the smells of Bangladesh are very varied, there are sweet smells, and strong smells there are also damp smells. The roads are mainly out of dirt and the houses are often out of mud and straw but inside they are very warm and comfy. The houses from inside are messy and dirty. Bangladesh is a very independent country. It would be good if other countries gave it as much support and money as possible so that it could be a better off country.
How often Bangladesh floods
Flooding is an annual event in Bangladesh mainly during the monsoon season. Bangladesh suffered one of its worse ever floods between July-September in 1998, despite flooding being common in this country, the floods of 1998 were particularly severe resulting in over 1000 deaths and 30 million people being made homeless.
Why Bangladesh floods
There is a very simple to answer this that is;
- Bangladesh is situated at the tip of an arrow head. If you look on a map you will see that the sea is leading straight towards it.
- Bangladesh has very flat ground.
- There are lots of rivers in Bangladesh.
The causes of the floods are:
The Human Causes of the Floods:
- Deforestation in Nepal and the Himalayas increases run off and add to deposition and flooding downstream.
- Urbanization of the flood plain has increased magnitude & frequency of floods.
- Global warming is blamed for sea level rise, increased snow melt & increased rainfall in the region.
- The building of dams in India has increased the problem of sedimentation in Bangladesh.
- Poorly maintained embankments (levees) leak & collapse in times of high discharge.
What the impacts of flooding in Bangladesh are
Common effects of the flood are:
- Loss of land
- Loss of lives
- Loss of food
- Diseases
- Loss of houses (people are homeless)
Positive effects of flooding:
- This provides water for crops, when flooding occurs, friction is caused between the water and the surface of the land so the water losses energy and stops. This deposition of water makes the soil fertile.
- This deposition of silt also creates land upon which people can live.
Effects of the flood in 1998:
- Over 57% of the land area was flooded
- Over 1300 people were killed
- 7 million homes were destroyed
- 25 million people were made homeless
- There was a severe shortage of drinking water & dry food
- Diseases spread such as bronchitis and cholera/diarrhea
- As the water receded – it left fields of rotting crops, wrecked roads and bridges and destroyed villages
- 2 million tons of rice was destroyed
- ½ million cattle and poultry were lost
- Overall the floods cost the country almost $1 billion
BY Aalim 10 B
