Unit 1 - Essays - Impact of River Floods UPDATED Flashcards
‘River flooding impacts people more than it impacts the environment.’ With the aid of examples, how far do you agree?
🔹 Paragraph 1: People – Bangladesh 1998 Floods
Point:
In Bangladesh, floods had widespread, long-term, and severe impacts on people.
Evidence:
Flood covered 75% of the country
30 million people displaced
Over 1,000 deaths
US$2.8 billion in damages
700,000 hectares of crops destroyed
500,000 homes damaged
Disease outbreaks: cholera, dysentery
Transport and communication disrupted
Recovery took months to years
Explanation/Development:
Due to high population density, poverty, and low investment in flood defences, people were very vulnerable.
Food shortages and health problems lasted long after waters receded.
Large spatial scale and long-term (temporal) impacts.
Shows that human suffering was widespread and multi-dimensional (health, housing, food, economy).
🔹 Paragraph 2: People – Boscastle 2004 Floods
Point:
In Boscastle, the flooding affected fewer people but still caused major disruption.
Evidence:
60 mm of rain in 2 hours
River Valency overflowed
58 buildings damaged
100+ cars swept away
Main bridge collapsed
1,000 people affected
7 helicopters used in rescue
Major losses to tourism income
Explanation/Development:
Though smaller in scale, the short-term effects were intense.
Emotional trauma, business loss, disruption to services.
Social and economic effects were high for a small community.
Short temporal impact, small spatial scale, but high local intensity.
Even in high-income countries, floods can overwhelm human systems.
🔹 Paragraph 3: Environment – Bangladesh
Point:
Flooding harmed the environment but also brought some benefits.
Evidence:
Crops drowned
Soil waterlogged
Water pollution from sewage and chemicals
Some wildlife habitats lost
But: Nutrient-rich alluvium deposited
Boost to future crop growth
Creation of temporary wetlands, supporting fish/bird life
Explanation/Development:
Environmental damage was serious but not always permanent.
Natural ecosystems adapted over time.
Positive effects (like better soil) helped long-term agricultural productivity.
Impacts were mixed—some bad, some helpful—showing that the environment can recover or even benefit in some cases.
🔹 Paragraph 4: Environment – Boscastle
Point:
Environmental impacts were short-term and limited in space.
Evidence:
Riverbanks eroded
Trees uprooted
Debris and sediment spread
River habitats disrupted
But area recovered quickly (within months)
Vegetation and wildlife returned
Explanation/Development:
The environment in temperate regions like Cornwall is resilient.
Impacts were localised and temporary.
Nature restored itself with little long-term harm.
Compared to human impacts, environmental damage was less severe and easier to fix.
🔹 Conclusion: Judgement
While river flooding affects both people and the environment, the damage to people is usually more serious. Human impacts are often more widespread, longer-lasting, and harder to recover from, especially in low-income areas. Therefore, I mostly agree with the statement.
