Bangladesh

FLOODING IN BANGLADESH
Climatic Causes
1. Snowmelt in Himalayas creating extra surface run off
2. Soil erosion increases surface run off and excess soil is washed into rivers
3. Heavy monsoon rain concentrated into a few months so ground becomes saturated
4. Tropical cyclones increase the amount of rainfall
5. High winds bring storm surges which flood coastal areas

Relief causes
Delta is flat and low lying.
The rivers are contained by levees and when they burst the surrounding area is flooded

Human causes
1. Deforestation increases surface run off and soil erosion.
2. Increased soil erosion leads to more silt in rivers causing the channels to become choked and leading to further flooding


Short term effects
1. Flooding
2. Drowning
3. Loss of homes
4. Loss of crops
5. Polluted drinking water
6.Loss of communications

Long term effects
1. Starvation
2. Homelessness
3. Illness from polluted water
4. No seed for next year
5. No money
6. Loss of relatives
7. Trauma

Short term solutions

1. Feeding programmes
2. Emergency shelter
3. Aid

Long term solutions
1. Flood Action Plan
2. Improved forecasting
to enable better prediction
3. Reinforce coastal banks
4. Raise mounds on which
people live
5. Improve roads
6. Build concrete storm
shelters
7. Problem – money

Why do so many people die as a result of tropical storms in Bangladesh?
with thanks to Isobelle Evans:
Because there are strong winds, many houses will collapse because of the force of the wind and also the weakness of the structures. People could get trapped underneath these buildings and be badly injured or killed. Sometimes tropical storms can bring flooding and so if the floods destroy crops then farmers will have no food or income so therefore this could lead to starvation and death. Flooding also contaminates wate increasing the spread of diseased such as Cholera which if people drink this water they could die. Also the destruction of the houses could block aid from getting to the people who need it so their condition will get worse and they could die.