CASE STUDY 10 : FLOODING CASE STUDY - BANGLADESH

Question 1

CAUSES OF FLOOD

Answer 1

• 4 rivers meet at a confluence in capital city of Dhaka = bottle neck effect as 3 channels flow into 1
• Snow melts in Himalayas
• Deforestation in Nepal causes build up of silt therefore lowering the capacity of water being carried.
• Deforestation also decreases interception of rain hence greater surface runoff
• Global warming has increased monsoon rainfall and increases summer snowmelt
• Continuing urbanisation in the capital Dhaka
• as the River Brahmaputra (holy river) people not allowing management to be put in place

Question 2

LOCATION

Answer 2

West of India
South of Nepal
1998 and 2004 experienced 2 of the worst floods

Question 3

IMPACTS ON THE FLOOD OF 2004

Answer 3

• 600 people died
• $700 Billion damage to schools and hospitals
• Embankments broke flooding rural areas of Dhaka
• 30M homeless due to shanty towns poorly built and rural homes collapsed

7,000,000 hectares of farmland destroyed = food shortage so prices increase

Sanitation systems damages = further water pollution

Stagnant water = causes further diseases

100,000 people suffered from diarrhoea in Dhaka caused by water borne diseases like cholera and typhoid and death toll then rose to 750 people

Airport and Roads closed

Question 4

FLOOD PREVENTION - FLOOD ACTION PLAN 1990

Answer 4

Flood Action Plan (FAP) 1990

supported by several wealthy countries and the World Bank

Aim = to reduce the impact of floods that occurred annually in Bangladesh
1. the creation of Earth embankments(articificial levees) along the river to increase channel capacity and restrict flood waters.

2. Sluice gates at points along the embankments to allow flood water through for use and ease pressure on embankments
3. Constructing flood protection shelters (
   large buildings raised above the ground) to shelter people and animals

4.Emergency flood warning systems and plans made for organising rescue and relief services

Question 5

Flood Action Plan (FAP) 1990 - PRO’S

Answer 5

Cheap

protects many people’s farmland and houses in Dhaka

Sluice gates - control the flow of water and sediment over the land

Reinforced embankments around Dhaka are much more stable and effective at keeping back floodwater

Question 6

Flood Action Plan (FAP) 1990 - CON’S

Answer 6

EMBANKMENTS

• reduce the amount of sediments being deposited on the floodplain so reduced fetility of the land.
• rural embankments are made of soil - risk of erosion
• areas downstream with NO embankments are more at risk
• some people had to be moved when the they (embankments) were being built