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Strategic approach can minimise flood destruction


23 Jun 2022 00:00:00 | Update: 23 Jun 2022 00:50:36
Strategic approach can minimise flood destruction

The devastating flood ravaging 27 districts across the country has resulted in 36 deaths so far with six million people displaced. For Sylhet, the flooding, which many have called the worst in living memory, has been touted the most severe in 122 years. Water from across the border along with relentless rainfall snowballed in creating the perfect storm for many districts with stranded people having to contend with the calamity without freshwater, medicines and food.

As per a TBP report, referring to the Directorate General of Health Services, DGHS, around three thousand people have been affected by snake bites, diarrhoea, skin diseases and other ailments.

The DGHS also informs that 1976 teams are working in flood hit divisions. Sylhet division has seen the most damage although as per latest reports, due to a decline in rainfall, the flood water is receding, albeit slowly. This is indeed an uplifting development although falling of water level is but one side of the multidimensional problem, affecting livelihood, health, sanitation, and crop production.

Once water recedes, one of the priorities is to ensure that homes, which were under water, are free from snakes.

Snake bite is a major hazard in Bangladesh during monsoons and the attacks by serpents see a sharp spike during floods. Therefore, at this moment, with water levels falling, the task for army units deployed to help the flood affected should be to distribute snake anti venom and oral saline. Fresh water supply has been disrupted which means that at least for two to three more weeks, emergency water supply plus water purification facilities will be required.

Under no circumstances can receding flood water levels be considered as an end to the danger. It is estimated that 56,000 hectares of Aush paddy was damaged with measures taken to ensure that production of Aman is not hampered. The authorities have tried to assuage fears of farmers stating that in case of a prolonged flood, the Nadi variety will be cultivated. The current flood, like the ones before, will eventually be a memory but the severity of this year’s calamity must be assessed thoroughly by experts.

The disastrous condition in Sylhet calls for a complete analysis of possible climate change impact on natural calamities in Bangladesh.

For the last one decade, this country has faced extreme weather patterns from scorching heat to unbearably long cold spells to incessant rainfall – all telling signs of the adverse impact of climate change.

That Bangladesh is at the forefront of climate change impacts is well documented, although the enormity of the impact is often not treated with due seriousness.

Alluding to the current floods, Bangladesh Paribesh Andolon, BAPA, has underlined the need to have a strategic approach for river management. Experts have opined, and rightly so, that poor navigability, obstruction of flow due to dam construction without carrying out in depth ecological impact assessment plus inadequate draining systems are responsible for river swelling.

While a flat land like Bangladesh cannot escape floods and water related problems, the impact can be minimised with knowledge based strategic approaches.

Since India has also faced a natural catastrophe, a joint flood impact mitigation effort is needed immediately because unless the water from upstream across the border is controlled by some means, regular inundation of lands in Bangladesh cannot be prevented.

Warnings that floods may affect Shariatpur, Faridpur and Rajbari in the coming days should catalyse the authorities to make full preparations with dry food, fresh water, saline and other relevant medicines to limit the suffering of the masses.

USAID has already pledged support while other international development partners should be requested to help with technical expertise to help Bangladesh manage her rivers.

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