Bangladesh is a very low lying country, with 70% of its land area being less than 1m above sea level, which makes it very easy for the water to spread. Bangladesh has large amounts of water passing through it with two major rivers (the Ganges and Brahmaputra) carrying huge amounts of dirt which is then deposited as they enter the sea. Bangladesh has a monsoon climate which often results in the rivers exceeding their capacity and causes them to flood. In the spring, melting snow from the Himalayas further increases the flood risks as lots of melt water enter the rivers. Tropical storms bring heavy rains (Monsoon) and cause the coast of Bangladesh to flood.
Effects of Flooding
There are many effects of flooding, most of them being bad, but a few good effects as well.
Examples of these are all the animals drowning and all the crops and seeds getting washed away which is a bad thing for farmers because they have nothing to live on or make money from. Also, a lot of houses are destroyed and possessions are washed or ruined which puts many people in a situation where they are homeless or have nothing to help them survive. Moving on, floodwater can seriously disrupt public and personal transport by cutting off roads and railway lines, as well as communication links when telephone lines are damaged.
Floods also cause sewages to spill which is a serious health hazard. Bacteria, mould and viruses, cause diseases which is another major damage especially in the rural areas where people can’t afford medicines. Soil is eroded by large amounts of fast flowing water, ruining crops, destroying land and buildings. Severe floods not only ruin homes and businesses, but the water left behind causes further damage to property and contents. The environment and wildlife is also at risk when damage to factories causes toxic materials like paints, pesticides, gasoline to be released.
Flooding however, can have positive effects too. As well as providing water for crops, when flooding occurs, the water slows down and loses its energy. This loss of energy results in the deposition of rich fertile soil resulting in the providing of important nutrients which makes it very easy for people to grow crops. This deposition of dirt also creates land upon which people can.
Effects of Flooding
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Human Response
Responding to a flood is not an easy thing. In fact, it takes years for some people to go back to their normal lives. There lots of different strategies that people in Bangladesh use after a flood. One main approach is to plant trees in the areas where there’s nice fertile soil, this is called afforestation. Another way that people get back is to build cyclone shelters. These are big centres, usually schools, that are built on stilts so when a flood happens, everyone that’s in it is safe. However, the problem with these shelters is they are expensive to build and because the country is an LEDC (less economically developed countries), it can’t afford many of these shelters.
Additionally, a lot of farmers raise ducks instead of chickens, as a food source, because ducks can swim while the chickens will just drown. Also, another way that the country has been working on is- building roads, railways and houses that are most likely to flood, on stilts. This way, people are more likely to survive and keep their possessions safe. Moving on, rural areas near the coast tend to have some people with megaphones to warn the people in the villages that a very bad flood is going to happen.
Furthermore, as technology develops, even LEDC’s are able to predict when about a flood is going to happen. This makes sure that the people have enough time to get to the cyclone shelters or somewhere safe. Another advantage about the early warnings is that people, usually the women, can prepare food and remedies for health problems before the flood season. Finally, the most common method that’s used is building embankments on the coasts to stop the water from reaching the land.
Survivor’s Story
This is a story about a man called Khalam, his wife and his four sons.
I was at home with my family packing our possessions because we were told about the flood that’s about to hit us. When we packed I told my family to go to the cyclone shelter and stay safe. I told them I was going to stay back to watch over the boat. This boat is the only thing that helps us survive. I never went to a school and neither have any of my sons. All we know is how to fish and about the currents of the water. If we lose this boat, then we have nothing in life.
When the cyclone first started I went into my house to stay safe. But the worst had come. Just minutes after the cyclone started, the walls of my house had gone and the water flowed in rapidly. The only thing that was on my mind was my boat. I looked out and I couldn’t believe my eyes; the boat had been broken into pieces. I started to cry, but I had to save myself.
I tried to run to the shelter but too many things were flying around. It was too dangerous. If a piece of wood or something hits me I could die because of the speed these objects were flying around. I saw the roof of what used to be my house fly away. It was too dangerous. I decided to crawl to the shelter, dodging the dangerous objects that were flying around.
Finally, when I reached the shelter, I joined my family and told them about the disaster that had struck. They couldn’t believe it. My eldest son knelt down crying, asking why this had to happen to us. It was the worst moment of my life.
How Human Activity
Affects Flooding
There are many human activities that make the flooding worse. But then you have to look on the other side: the people in the rural areas have to do these things to survive.
One of the main things is the deforestation that’s happening in Bangladesh and Nepal. Because all the trees are being chopped down, the roots won’t suck any water in. This means that the water will stay on the land for a long time. A normal, healthy tree can suck up to 500 litres of water every day. People in the rural areas need the wood for fire to cook and for heat, but that means they have to chop down the trees.
Another demand is the amount of people living in rural areas. There are 82% of the Bangladesh population live in rural areas. This means that more people are likely to get hit by the flood. The reason why so many people live the rural areas is that people make more money in the rural areas than the urban areas. In the rural areas people grow crops and make business by selling these crops. Also, fishing is another great way to make money in Bangladesh. If you tell the people they can’t live in these areas, where will they get money to survive from because the country can’t provide everyone with money.
What I think will happen in the future
I think that flooding in Bangladesh will only get worse because of the rise in the temperature due to global warming. Because the rise in temperature, the glaciers on the Himalayas will start to melt and this melted water adds to the river which makes the water level rise even more. Also, as the temperatures rise, the monsoons are going to become wetter and cyclones are going to get even stronger and worse.
Finally, the rapid increase in the population will affect flooding as well. As the population increases, there will be more demands for wood and crops. This means that more people will live in rural areas and more people are likely to be hit by the flood. Also, the demand for wood will increase and more stumps will be dumped into the river which means that the river will get shallower, making it more likely to flood.
