Bangladesh

Question 1

Describe a flood in 2007 in Bangladesh.

Answer 1

• 2.2 million hectares of damaged crop land
• Highway from Dhaka to the rest of bangladesh was flooded causing isolation.
• Bangladesh Health Department reported Diarrhoes, landslides and drowning
• $290 million initial lossof crops
• 900+ bridges destroyed
• 1500 km of road destroyed

Question 2

Planning and manangement in Bangladesh;

What physical defences were put in place along Bangladeshes rivers?

Answer 2

• 5000 flood shelters to accomodate whole population
• 7 large dams to store water ($30 -$40 million)
• World bank to contribute $400 million to rehabilitate embankments on 17 islands
• Flood Action Plan (funded by the world bank) levees which are setback from the river to protect from ersoive power and fitted with sluices to reduce flow.

Question 3

What warning systems have Bangladesh installed?

Answer 3

• 1972 Flood Forecasting and warning systems
• 85 flood monitorng stations providing real time info

Question 4

What long term management techniques have Bangladesh used?

Answer 4

Reducing deforestation in Himalayas and Nepal

Question 5

What physical factors make Bangladesh vunerable to flooding?

Answer 5

• Cyclones and hurricanes enerting the bay of Bengal causes storm surges
• Heavy rainfall outside the monsoon season
• Himalayan snow melt (spring)
• Monsoonal rain
• saturated soil
• Ganges, meghna and Brahmaputra converge causing a high discharge

Question 6

What human factors make Bangladesh susceptable to flooding?

Answer 6

• Urbanisation populated (900 per km²) 2.7% population growth/annum
• Deforestation of hiumalayas (reduced interception rates)
• Lack of international investmetn form other countries
• LEDC little money availible to spend on flood protection
• Internatioal loans and debts
• 1980’s 100,000 tube wells + 20,000 deep wells for drinking water - redued water table.