Banglasdesh 2004 Case Study Flashcards
Major flooding in Bangladesh occurs frequently with how much of the country being regularly covered?
20-30%
Bangladesh lies on the delta land of which 3 rivers?
- The Ganges
- The Brahmaputra
- The Meghna
What intensifies the monsoon rainfall?
The height of the land
What adds to discharge in Bangladesh’s spring time?
Meltwater from the Himalayas
What has increased erosion rates in Bangladesh’s rivers?
Tectonic uplift
Sediment is dumped in Bangladesh’s rivers and they become more inefficient and have reduced hydraulic radius’s. What does this make more likely?
Flooding
What percentage of Bangladesh is less than 1 metre above sea level?
20%
What does much of Bangladesh consist of?
‘Chars’ which are islands made from the mud deposited by the areas major rivers
Between which months is Bangladesh’s monsoon season?
May to September
Bangladesh lies to the south of the Bay of Bengal, what does this leave it at risk of?
Cyclones
Define a cyclone
Huge tropical storms that bring exceptional winds, intense precipitation and storm surges.
What do the gentle slopes of the Bangladesh flood plain allow flood water to do?
Spread over large distances
What does the loose unconsolidated nature of Bangladesh’s flood plain mean?
Bank erosion is very easy
What is the population of Bangladesh?
Just over 150 million
Why is Dhaka at risk of flooding?
It has experienced Rapid urbanisation, propelling its population to over 1 million. It is also at the confluence of the Ganges and the Meghna making is especially vulnerable
What does Bangladesh have which makes it even more vulnerable (human factor)
A high population density, despite improvements many are poor and ill prepared to cope with floods
What has occurred in neighbouring Nepal and Tibet, leading to an increased flood risk in Bangladesh?
Population pressures have led to increased deforestation in the Himalayas, causing increased soil erosion and therefore silting up of rivers
What have attempts to control the Ganges for irrigation meant?
They have slowed to river, leading to higher levels of silt deposition. This then builds up land inland but means that the water travelling out of irrigated areas carries a reduced sediment load, which may be speeding up erosion in vulnerable areas.
Global warming may also have an influence on flooding in Bangladesh. How much more rainfall will there be in Bangladesh by 2030?
10-15% which could be devastating according to climatologists