Flooding in Bangladesh
Bangladesh is affected by two types of flood:
 River floods, which happen every year, depositing millions of
tonnes of fine silt at the mouth of the rivers and creating large
areas of fertile agricultural land. These floods are linked to the
general pattern of rainfall and melting show in the Himalayas.
 Coastal floods, which are created by cyclones that build up in the
Indian Ocean and move towards the Bay of Bengal. Water is
funnelled towards Bangladesh and a storm surge develops. This
may reach 7m in height, flooding large areas of land
Flood Protection:
While it is impossible to prevent flooding in Bangladesh, several measures have
been introduced as part of the Flood action plan, a scheme financed by the
World Bank in the 1990. This included a number of points for action:
 Introducing flood warning systems – using weather satellites to warn
people about cyclones and possible floods.
 Improving urban flood protection – installing embankments and pumps
in urban areas, protecting housing, hospitals and transport networks.
 Constructing flood shelters ( killas ) – concrete shelters built on stilts
above the ground to provide safety against winds and floodwater.
 Protecting the coastal areas – building a coastal barrier to protect
lowlands from the effect of a storm surge.
How well has the flood action plan worked
Not all of the proposals are in place and, at £100m a year; maintenance costs
are very high for one of the world’s poorest countries.
Advantages
 The flood embankment in Dhaka appears to be reducing the effects of
flooding in the city.
 The flood warning system gives some people time to prepare.
 People are more educated about what to do in the event of a flood.
 A number of shelters have been built
 The buildings of embankments has created jobs
Disadvantages
 Pumping system do not always separate floodwater from sewage,
creating problems of disease.
 Embankments create pools of stagnant water which attract mosquitoes
and can lead to disease.
 Stopping water from going into one area can create flood problems
elsewhere.
 The pattern of flooding has changed, and this affects the farming and
fishing communities.
Managing flooding in Bangladesh is difficult and expensive, and with a growing
population and the possible rise in sea-level due to global warming, the
challenge is immense.
People caught up in the flood