Brahmaputra August 2017 River flooding in Bangladesh

Learn about the 2017 Brahmaputra River floods in Bangladesh, their causes, and impacts.

Sort the following into physical causes, human causes or socio-economic impacts and ONE named area description. Physical causes of flooding (8) Extreme rainfall (over 2,000 mm in a week) brought on by the monsoon season since the end of July was the main physical cause of the catastrophic flooding in Bangladesh Tectonic Activity - The Indian Plate is moving towards the Eurasian Plate (collision plate boundary). The land where they meet (Himalayas) is getting higher and steeper every year (fold mountains). As a result soil is becoming loose and is susceptible to erosion. This causes more soil and silt to enter the major rivers, which increases and displaces the water in the river channels of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra. 80% of Bangladesh lies on a huge floodplain and delta and the southern area is only 1 meter above sea level Confluence and convergence of great rivers bringing extra water discharge e.g. The Ganges, Brahmaputra and the Meghna. All three rivers overflowed around the same time. The Brahmaputra was flowing 61 centimetres above the danger level Cyclone Mora brought torrential rain to Bangladesh during the months of May and June 2017 and this made the land very saturated. Snow and ice melt in the Himalayas over July, added extra surface run off to reach The Brahmaputra river. Increase in silt.The Ganges and the Brahmaputra rivers are the highest sediment load carrying rivers.The silt deposition is said to have raised the river's bed-level causing it to break embankments and flood the adjoining human settlements and farmlands. Human causes of flooding (5) High rates of deforestation on the slopes of the Himalayas. Therefore there's less interception from rainfall leading to an increase in saturated land, surface run off and a peak in water discharge in the rivers. Sand mining.Uncontrolled sand mining from rivers across India for commercial purposes was mainly done at riversides disturbing the flow of the rivers and transporting extra sediment to the middle and lower courses of the Ganges and the Brahmaputra as they flow through Bangladesh. Dense population - Bangladesh, a densely populated country of 165 million, is among the world's most vulnerable to flooding disasters Poorly maintained embankments (levees) leak collapse in times of high discharge in the great rivers. Increase in urbanisation and impermeable rock. Urbanisation of the flood plain e.g. urban areas such as Dhaka and Jamaipur along the Brahmaputra has increased magnitude frequency of floods as more impermeable rock is used causing further surface run off. Socio-economic impacts (16) 100,000 houses destroyed Over 8 million people have been affected by floods that covered a third of the country. In Beraberi, one of numerous island villages know as "chars" dotted along the Jamuna River, entire homes have been washed away, and crops and food supplies , including livestock -- all wiped out. Water borne diseases. Floodwaters became a breeding ground for deadly diseases such as diarrhea, malaria, dengue and Japanese encephalitis. Prices of rice, the country’s main produce, reached record levels in September 2017, mostly reflecting flood-induced crop losses in 2017. Overall, rice prices had increased by 30%. 560 000 hectares of standing crops were partially damaged impacting on the trade of rice An estimated 1,000 schools are closed due to the flooding disrupting learning for children. People have contracted diarrhoea, dysentery, and typhoid as drinking water has been contaminated. As crops are washed away, this lead to shortages in food supplies which meant that food prices increased at a time where the purchasing power of people are lower than ever, especially as the worst hit were the majority already in poverty. loss of livestock Loss of electricity Long term repair needed to homes, railways, industries 145 people died in the western and north eastern regions of Bangladesh - mainly from drowning 370,000 people have been displaced and are staying in 1,000 temporary camps set up by the authorities. Road closures and flooding of railway tracks in Dhaka district, prevent access to affected populations who are in need of emergency water and food aid More than than 51,000 people have been relocated to emergency flood shelters set up by the government Named areas affected (1) 31 districts affected - Here are some of the named districts affected. Dinajpur, Kurigram, Jamalpur, Dhaka and Rangpur .