Casestudy: Flooding in Bangladesh Flashcards
In what 3 ways is Bangladesh prone to flooding due to it’s geographic qualities?
- Bangladesh is a deltaic country, meaning it is inevitably prone to significant flooding events.
- In addition, Bangladesh faces monsoon season from June to October, which is increasing in intensity due to climate change.
- On a longer term, regional subsidence caused by plate tectonics makes the country more liable to coastal and river flooding.
What are the 3 major rivers that dominate Bangladesh?
- The Ganges
- The Meghna
- The Brahmaputra
What are the benefits of flooding in Bangladesh?
- The floods support a rural population, and this is significant for Bangladesh as 60% of the country lived in rural areas.
- The floods deliver 1 billion tonnes of fertile soil, being an agricultural resource - being supplied and washed down by the Himalayas.
- In all, 80% of the land area benefits from flooding - despite challenges.
How has climate change affected floods in Bangladesh?
- Climate change has increased the magnitude of flooding.
- Following 2014 - Bangladesh experienced 6 CONSECUTIVE years of high-magnitude floods, in which 22 percent or more of the country was inundated.
- Since 1972, the magnitude has increased.
Why are the rural areas of Bangladesh at higher risk?
- Rural areas in Bangladesh dominate the country’s low-lying floodplain landscape to receive fertile soils from the extensive river system.
- Rural areas already have associated risk with limited infrastructure in a spatial perspective, so they are at an increased risk of water borne transmission as hygiene standards are lower.
How does flooding impact disease in Bangladesh?
The transmission of water-borne pathogens increases during flood events, these include diseases such as typhoid, cholera and hepatitis.
What are the environmental factors in Bangladesh that influence the spread of disease?
- Climate
- Sanitation
- Water supply
- Food
How does Bangladesh’s environmental factor of climate contribute to the spread of diseases during flooding?
- Bangladesh has a tropical monsoon climate, bringing heavy rainfall to complement flood activity and high humidity. This creates ideal conditions for waterborne diseases like cholera and typhoid to thrive and proliferate.
Why does flooding in Bangladesh worsen sanitation issues?
- Floodwaters can overwhelm sewage systems, contaminating drinking and domestic water with human waste - leading to outbreaks of diarrhoeal diseases.
How does the environmental factor of sanitation contribute to the spread of disease in Bangladesh?
- As floodwaters contaminate sanitation facilities, this leads to spread of pathogens.
- In the 1988 flood, diarrhoeal disease accounted for 35% of flood related illness.
How does the environmental factor of water supply contribute to the spread of disease in Bangladesh?
- Floodwater contaminates drinking water sources with pollutants and sewage, this increases risk of disease such as cholera and leptospirosis
How does the environmental factor of food contribute to the spread of disease in Bangladesh?
- Floods can damage crops and food supplies, leading to malnutrition and weakened immunity.
- In 2020, 110,000 hectares of crops were destroyed
- This makes the population more vulnerable to infection
What are the potential human factors affecting the spread of disease in Bangladesh?
- Population density
- Access to clean water
- Immunisation programmes
How does the human factor of population density affect the spread of disease in Bangladesh?
- High population density in urban areas such as Dhaka (the capital) exacerbates the spread of infectious diseases during floods due to humans being in close contact.
How does the human factor of access to clean water affect the spread of disease in Bangladesh?
- Bangladesh witnesses a decline in clean water as a result of flood events as sources are overwhelmed or contaminated.
- This leads to a reliance on contaminated sources, increasing the incidence of water-borne disease.
What percentage of Bangladesh was flooded in 2020?
Over 40% of the country
How many people were affected by the 2020 Bangladesh floods?
- Over 3.3 million people
How many people fell ill from contaminated water in the 2020 Bangladesh floods?
4500 people
What were the health impacts from the floods on resident populations in Bangladesh?
- Flood related disease such as cholera, dengue and malaria led to an increased morbidity and mortality of resident populations.
- In 2024, Bangladesh experienced a severe dengue outbreak which led to over 400 deaths (associated with flood water hosting vectors).
What were the economic impacts from floods on resident populations in Bangladesh?
- As many either fall ill or lose property from flooding, productivity falls and strains the economy, especially in the agricultural sector that saw 110,000 hectares of land destroyed.
- In 2020, 750,000 homes were waterlogged, requiring rebuilding or repair.
What were the social impacts of floods on resident populations in Bangladesh?
- As 750,000 homes were waterlogged in 2020, so many people were displaced and lost livelihoods.
- 1900 schools were destroyed in the 2020 floods, this damaged social aspects of education.
- School destruction could damage education on disease and sanitation, further perpetuating the effects of floods.
List interventions implemented by NGOs and the Bangladeshi government to combat diarrhoeal disease
- Use of oral rehydration solution
- Promotion of breastfeeding, discouraging the use of formula. This improves the child’s immune system and prevents contraction of waterborne disease.
- Encouragement of handwashing and sanitary latrines.
- Use of water purification tablets
- Improvements in female education and nutrition
What has been the consequences of intervention to combat disease caused by flooding in Bangladesh?
- Calculations showed that intervention has saved as many as 70000 lives in 2015 alone, when being compared to 1980s data.
- There have been marginal improvements in diet and access to medical support.
What national strategies were used to minimise impacts of disease in Bangladesh?
- The Bangladeshi government deploys medical teams to flood-affected areas to provide healthcare service and preventative measures.
- In recent floods, nearly 600 medical teams were mobilized across the country.
What international strategies were used to minimise impacts of disease in Bangladesh?
- Organizations such as UNICEF appeal for funds to support affected populations.
- NGOs such as UNICEF focus on provisions of clean water, sanitations and healthcare services.
- In a recent appeal, UNICEF sought $35 million to assist Bangladeshi children who were affected by flooding.
