While the prospect of rain showers in the middle of an unprecedented heatwave might come as pleasant news to many, it also spells disaster for too many of us, especially those living in parts of Bangladesh that are situated near rivers and other bodies of water.
Water levels of 25 rivers at 34 stations monitored by the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) marked a rise on Friday afternoon following heavy rainfall at some places in the northeastern region of the country -- the threat of yet more flooding in the nation is real.
Floods have always been an ever-present threat for Bangladeshis, one that we just cannot seemed to have mitigated over the years, leading to increasing loss of lives and livelihoods across the nation: Between 2000 and 2015, the number of people who have become exposed to flood-affected areas in Bangladesh has increased by 14.3 million, according to a study published by the British Journal Nature.
Despite being an entirely predictable, borderline seasonal issue, floods still ravage parts of the country year on year. But why is nothing being done to stop this problem or, at least, gradually minimize their effects?
The answer is two-pronged: Due to our flood management and response efforts being not enough and the rapid rise of urbanization which leads to people filling up natural reservoirs of rainwater in the floodplain.
While their increasing frequency is a direct result of the global climate crisis, there’s little that we can do on that front. However, our flood management and response systems are just not enough as they stand. As far as urbanization is concerned, clear steps towards land development need to be carefully considered before being carried out.
The administration would do well to invest in training, research, equipment, and infrastructure necessary to combat floods well before they occur. Only through heavy focus on these systems can we hope to minimize the impacts of the kind of heavy flooding that we’ve been witnessing for the past few years.
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