Upload
sanzida-sharmin-shoma
View
217
Download
0
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
1/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
FLASH FLOOD IN BANGLADESH (HAOR AREA)
Bangladesh is the most vulnerable to several natural disasters, of which, the occurrences of
flood is common. There are mainly four types of floods, the flash flood being relatively
unique. Flash floods can occur within quite a few minutes to some hours, with little or no
warning. And it can be dangerous because they produce rapid rises in water levels and have
devastating flow velocities. Different factors influence flash flooding situation i.e. rainfall
intensity, rainfall duration, surface conditions, and topography and slope of the receiving
basin. Typically, flash floods occur in areas where the upstream basin topography is
relatively steep and the concentration time of the basin is relatively short.
FLASH FLOODS
The flood season generally begins with flash floods occurring as early as in late April and
early May. Generally observed in the northern and eastern parts of the country, flash floods
usually occur after a heavy downpour in the neighbouring hills and mountains (Khashia,
Jaintia, Garo and Tripura Hills) and are characterized by a very sharp rise in the water level in
rivers and subsequent overbank spillage with a high flow velocity. Flash floods are also
marked by a relatively rapid recession of water from the floodplains.
Figure 1:Types and duration of floods in Bangladesh
CAUSES OF FLASH FLOOD
Run off in excess of conveyance capacity
Deterioration of Drainage Channels
Drainage Congestion.( also due to anthropogenic factors)
Deforestation
Rise in Sea Level due to Wind
Tidal Waves / Tidal effect
Global Climate Change
1 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
2/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Impact of Embankments constructed elsewhere
Fig: Flash Flood affected area in Bangladesh
Source:
IMPACT OF FLASH FLOOD IN BANGLADESH
The north eastern and northern districts including Sylhet, Moulavibazar,
Sunamganj,Habiganj, Netrokona, Kurigram, Gaibandha, Lalmonirhat of Bangladesh have
been inundated due to heavy downpour and the rush of flood water from upstream: Namely,
from Assam and Meghalaya in India over the last two of weeks. Following a report from the
Bangladesh Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre (FFWC) issued on 24 June 2010, the
Kushiyara river at Amalshid, Sheola and Sherpur; and the Surma river at Kanaighat, Sylhet
and Sunamganj were flowing at very dangerous levels for the last month.
As a result, tens of thousands of people from different upazillas in the Sylhet district are stuck
in waterlogged areas. Also, all the rivers in the Sylhet region have water levels that are at
dangerously high; and is at a situation where the rivers could over flow at any time. Roads
linking of some upazillas with district headquarters have been suspended as flood waters
submerged roads at several points. These areas are known as the Haor (big water body)
2 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
3/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Basin, covering an area of approximately 20,022 square kilometres. Many people in the
Sylhet district have been suffering for one month.
In Fenchuganj upazilla, a sub district in Sylhet, more than 55,000 people have been affected
because of floods. More than 32 educational institutions were closed down as those went
under water. Other educational institutes,that were not affected were used as flood shelter
centers. Many flood affected people took refuge in those schools.
In different places road communications have been disrupted as bridges have collapsed from
the heavy rainfall and flash floods. An important road linkage between the Sherpur district
and the Nalitabari upazila has been disrupted when a bridge collapsed in Sherpur. Many
villages were submerged with flood water in the Sherpur districts. Heavy rainfall has
damaged about 300 metres of the Chellakhali flood protection dam.
Rising water levels from the rivers: Someshwary, Dhanu and Ubdakhali, placed the
Netrokona district and its surrounding areas in a very precarious situation that may affected
by heavy floods. Torrential downpour during the last few days caused water from the hills to
pick up speed as they flowed down toward three upazillas of the Netrokona district. More
than 60 villages were flooded affecting 75,000 people. A seven kilometre stretch from
Durgapur to the Gawkandia link road was submerged under about five feet of water. Asignificant number of families have been suffering from a food crisis as almost all the low
lying areas of the Jagannathpur upazilla, in the Sunamganj district has been under water for
the last month .
On 28 June 2010, FFWC reported that the prevailing flood situation in the Sylhet,
Sunamganj, Netrokona and Moulvi Bazar districts is likely to deteriorate as moderately heavy
to heavy rainfall is expected in that region in the next 24 hours. FFWC also says, the major
river system, the Brahmaputra-Jamuna shows a rising trend while the Ganges-Padma shows a
falling trend. Both river systems are reported to be flowing below danger levels. However, all
districts are observing the rivers closely at all times.
People are expected to a face food shortage due to the loss of their main crop, of Boro rice, to
the floods. Again, if the monsoon season causes another flood then people will not be able to
cultivate the upcoming crop. The prices of daily necessities are also rising every day which is
an extra burden for them. In addition, the affected people are anxious for their childre to
continue their studies as their education has been disrupted by the flood.
3 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
4/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Some international non-governmental organizations (INGOs), those who are already working
in the affected areas are planning to provide assistance to affected people in the Sunamganj,
Netrokona, Sylhet, Moulavibazar and Kishorganj districts.
Fig: Crop calendar and water regime of Bangladesh
Source
FLASH FLOOD IN DEERAI, SUNAMGANJ
Sunamganj District is located in the North-Central (NC) Region of the country, which is
bound to the east by Sylhet District, to the south by Habiganj and Keshoreganj Districts, and
to the west by Netrokona district. The northern part of the District demarcates the border
between Bangladesh and India. Sunamganj, along with Sylhet, Keshoreganj and Netrokona
constitute the bowl-shaped depression basin of the country, locally called haor. A number of
ecologically important haors are located in Sunamganj. A haor generally acts as a natural
water storage area during April to November. Haors act as natural fish habitats while
inundated. However, following the peak monsoon period, haor lands are deliberately made
water-free (by pumping out water) in a bid to cultivate Boro Paddy.
4 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
5/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Fig: Surma river at Sunamgonj
Source:
Sunamganj is criss-crossed by a number of perennial and seasonal rivers. Both the tributaries
of Meghna River, the Surma and Kushiyara Rivers flow across the District. The Sunamganj
District township is located on the banks of Surma River, which is a perennial river. The
other important rivers are all flash's in nature, swell high during early showers of April and
May and only recede during October-November. Such flashy rivers include Jadubata River,
Balui River, Rakti River, Sabdevpur River and Someswari River. These rivers receive runoff
from the wettest parts of the world, Cherapunjee and its adjacent areas in India, and carry all
the water within hours of an intense shower. Due to extremely short lead time, it becomes
impossible to forecast a flash flood event. As a result, people are generally caught unprepared
and the onrush of water sweeps everything from its course.
Generally, with the first showers in early April these haors got inundated within a very short
time. Early inundation did not allow farmers to harvest almost-matured boro paddy, since
traditional Boro reached its maturity in the second week of May. With the help of structural
interventions, dwarf embankments had been erected along each of these - haors by the
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) with a notion that the structures would hold
5 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
6/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
water and delay complete inundation of paddy fields inside a haor for a few days allowing
farmers to harvest matured paddy. Following the harvest, with further rise in water levels, it
was expected that the embankments themselves ,would he inundated along with the haor
land. Such submergeable embankments' have transformed haor wetlands into seasonal paddy
fields and have been contributing to a significant proportion of national food grain production
in recent decades. Unfortunately, in some hydrological years water overtops the dwarf
embankments early due to excessive rains and destroy matured paddy within the haor basin.
Deerai is an Upazila which is located to the southern part of the District and it is very close to
the Haor basin. The total area of Deerai Upazila (Sunamganj district) is about 421 sq km,
Main rivers are Surma, Piyain, Kushiyara, and Dahuka. Derai upazila consists of 9 union
parishads, 165 mouzas, and 233 villages. Population is 185.284; among them male are 51.35
per cent and female are 48.62 per cent. As evident from the statistics, the population density
of the Upazila is rather low compared to other parts of the country, which can be considered
as a manifestation of the degree of difficulty for the poor people to eke out a living inside the
Haor basin. Since flash flood occur frequently and maul standing crops. people do not feel
like accepting the damage and stay back. Livelihoods vulnerability_ of people living there is
perhaps among the highest compared to other parts of the country.
Main Occupation in Deerai is agriculture (45.24 per cent). Arable land i, 2.u61 hectares,
among them cultivated is 26,061 hectares, uncultivated arable land 2.91 3 hectares, barren
land 3,087 hectares; and khas land 1 84 hectares. Single cropped land is about 87.58 per cent,
which also tells that most of the land is unaccessible for cropping for ther other seasons.
Double cropped land is 12.42 per cent. Land under irrigation is 14,490 hectares. Among the
peasants, 9.07 per cent are landless, 20.95 per cent belonging to marginal farmers class, 38.03
per cent are small farmers, 23.30 per cent are medium size farmers and 8.65 per cent arc rich
The main crop is Boro, however, among the double cropped land people grow mainly amon
paddy. Jute is nearly an extinct crop.
Within the haor basin, the villages are generally located in high lands. During monsoon, the
clusters of dwellings look like created safe havens in tic middle of water. All other human
infrastructures are located in those highlands so that those do not become inundated and get
ruined.
FLASH FLOOD IN GARO HILLS. MYMENSINGH
6 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
7/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Mymensingh District is located in the North Central (NC) re-,ion of the country. The northern
boundary has a common border vith India, separated b% G ro hills. The eastern side is
demarcated by Netrokona and Kishoregarnj Districts. While Iamalpur and Tangail Districts
demarcate the western side. Gazipur District bounds the southern reaches of the District. The
major hydrological feature of the District is the Old-Brahmaputra river and its distributaries
(Mahari. Sutija and Banar Rivers/rivulets), which is a perennial system. However, during the
dry season the OB system carries scanty amount of flow and the flow volumes of its
distributaries are found to be decreasing with time in recent years. Old-Brahmaputra brings nt
huge quantum of water during each monsoon, which generally inundates large low1N!1'_-
areas along the Brahmaputra flood plains. Floods therefore are quite common in the region.
The other feature of the District is the Garo Hills, a natural abode to the hill tribe named after
the Hill (i.e., Garo ethnic group) who has been living in the region since ages with distinct
cultural and social identity. The foot hills are located in Bangladesh, while the larger hills are
located in India. The region receives good amount of annual rainfall (about 2200 mm/year)
However, the pre-monsoon local convection induced rainfall (during early to mid-April)
Figure: Maps showing Dhobaura and Haluaghat Upazilas
Often transforms local rivulets into flashy rivers and the runoff often swells the north-
south bound Kangsha River System. The District, therefore, becomes flash flood
prone during April and early-May and becomes flood prone during peak monsoon.
Flood generally occurs along the OB system and also along the Kangsha system,
7 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
8/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
while flash flood generally occurs along the smaller rivulets adjacent to the Garo
Hills.
Since Garo ethnic community lives along the foot hills of the region, they are easy
victim of flash floods. Flash floods are short lived phenomenon (only a few hours of
intense rainfall can effectively make the area inaccessible for over a day or two).
However, the quickly on-setting nature of the hazard washes away almost everything
on the way of rushing runoff. Not only standing crops are devastated, physical
infrastructure (especially roads and poorly constructed culverts) are often washed
away. Dhobaura and Haluaghat upazilas arc perhaps the worst victims of flash flood in
the District.
Since mymensingh District receives a good amount of annual rainfall, its cropping
practices depend on both rainfed agriculture as well as irrigated agriculture. In the dry
season, most of the lands are generally irrigated, owing to availability of adequate
amount of groundwater from shallow aquifers. The southern parts of the District,
especially in Bhaluka Upazila, the lands are hardly inundated, which offers a unique
opportunity for aquaculture. Indeed, in recent years, crop lands are deliberately
transformed into excavated ponds to facilitate yearround aquaculture. Fulpur Upazila,
however, has also been enjoying low vulnerability to flooding. As a consequence, the
farmers have been opting for horticulture (pot/decorative flower production) in lieu of
traditional crops (rice etc.), which has been providing them with great dividends.
Interestingly, not all the Upazila could take advantage of such suitable ecological
conditions and are subject to certain levels of hydro-geological vulnerability.
The study area is Dhobaura Upazila, which occupies a landmass of about 251 sq km.
The size of population is 157,027, of which males are 50.52 per cent and females are
49.48 per cent. Average literacy rate is 18.7 per cent (male 23.6% and female 13.6`%),
much lower than national averages. Among the major occupational groups, agriculture
constitutes 52.6 per cent, agricultural labourer 27.84 per cent, commerce 6.14 per cent,
service 1.65 per cent, wage labourer 2.29 per cent, livestock, forestry and fishery 1.84
per cent, and others 7.64 per cent. Main crop is paddy. Extinct and nearly extinct crops
are jute, mustard seed, sugarcane, tobacco, sesame, aus paddy and asheena paddy'.
8 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
9/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Main fruits are jackfruit, mango, banana, papaya. There are 8 Fisheries, 3 dairies, 23
poultries and 1 hatchery in the Dhobaura Upazila.
FLASH FLOOD INTENSITY IN SUNAMGANJ AND MYMENSINGH DISTRICTS
One FGD is conducted in Haluaghat Upazila with Garo (tribal) women. Women are of the
opinion that rainfall pattern has changed over the past t w-o decades, especially during the
period April till September, as represented in Figure-19. In the FGD the following issues
have been raised in relation to identifying climate inc' iced vulnerability: (a) flash flood_ (b)
flood, (c) drought, (d) hail storm, (e) high intensity short-duration rainfall episodes (despite
the fact that overall rainfall 'a has been declining), and (f) stormy weather in mid April
(Kalbaisizakhee). The other i GD was conducted in Deerai Upazila of Sunnmganj District
where the local women identified the following key elements of vulnerability: (a) flash (food.
(b) hail storm, (c) tidal action during Monsoon, (d) drought, and (e) flood. The participants
have been asked to prioritize their climate related concerns and it is revealed that flash flood
is the top most priority concern that adds to their vulnerability
Flash flood is the incidence which generally occurs without any sort of prior warning and as a
result people terribly suffer from this hazard. Flash floods are severe flood events that occurwith little or no warning. It generally occurs in the pre-monsoon months; however it can also
occur any time between May and October. The frequent occurrence of flash floods poses a
severe threat to lives, livelihoods, costly infrastructure. The hardest hit are the socially most
vulnerable-the poor, women and children, who often can only find places to live in
floodplains or other vulnerable areas. Lack of communication and transportation often means
that a flash flood event is not known to outside community and the affected people do not
have access to facilities.
As the homesteads are flooded suddenly, women in the household have to face the sudden
danger. People generally suffer more in flash flood than in the normal flood due to its
unpredictability. Sudden occurrence appears to be the main reason for huge property loss in
the flash flood prone areas. Houses are over flown, standing crops are mauled, stock biomass
are either rotten or deteriorated, and often sanitary latrines and tube wells of the households
are submerged by flooded water. Under such miserable condition, women find it difficult to
ensure well being of the households.
9 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
10/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Responsibility of providing pure drinking water generally falls upon women and it becomes
difficult for them to fetch water from a far distance in flooded condition. Outburst of
epidemics is common as people hardly manage safe sanitation and pure drinking water during
post-flash-flood conditions. Preservation of fuel is necessarily a significant responsibility of
women which become difficult during the aftermath of an event. As a result, many
households suffer from hunger post-flash-flood if they cannot manage dry foods. Also, flash
flood washes away means of livelihood like poultry, livestock etc. which are main sources of
income for many rural women in Bangladesh.
Figure: prioritization of Vulnerability Context in Deerai
FLASH FLOOD PREPAREDNESS
There is a general perception among people living in flash flood vulnerable areas about flood
events which are generally damaging. According to peoples perception, annually occurring
low-level flood events are most usual and they do not worry about such flooding. People call
it barsha and often find it useful for replenishment of top soils. On the other hand, there areevents, which disrupt life, to some extent cause damage to agriculture and to a lesser extent to
the infrastructure. These are, according to local perception, most damaging causing
damages to crops and cropping potential during kharif season; completely disrupting life
and economic activities; lasting for a long period, often weeks together; wreaking havoc on
the physical infrastructure etc. It can be done by two level:
Community-level Activities
Household and/or Family-level Activities
10 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
11/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Community-level Activities
Preparedness for flash floods and minimizing negative flood impacts
In order to take measures towards preparedness, people need to understand that a flash flood
is imminent. The general basis of information on which people tend to make preparedness
decisions is rather weak. There is no dissemination of real-time information on floods. There
are bulletins aired by the Bangladesh Radio from time to time during the flood season;
however, such bulletins are often packed with technical terms and cannot be understood by
rural illiterate people. People often seek information either from the Chairman or the
members of the Union Parishad(UP: elected body at the lowest tier of the Government) and
most of the time they do not receive any satisfactory information with any degree of
certainty. The community concerned should take note of the following few activities to
minimize negative flash flood impacts:
Activate the Community-level Flood Management Committees. If there is none, form
such a Committee and assign responsibilities/ duties to the members, individually
and/or in small groups.
Quickly assess needs of the poor, females and the disadvantaged in the community.
Prepare plans based on needs assessment for relocation, preparedness and relevant
action.
Identify community flood shelters based on their accessibility, location, facilities and
capacity etc.
Identify safest means and road-plans for relocation/evacuation in those designated
flood shelters. Discuss it with the community people and make them aware of the
shelters.
Prepare the designated flood shelter(s) in terms of (a) cleaning up the premises, (b)
preparing large-size cooking stoves, (c) sinking afresh or elevating the existing
tubewell above flood danger level (d) making smaller rooms available for health care
check-ups, lactating mothers and children, chambers for privacy of adolescent girls,
storage of medicine and food items, and for storage of fuelwood/ biomass and/or
kerosene, and arrange lanterns for lighting.
Identify alternative shelters and expand capacity of shelters to prepare.
11 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
12/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Forecasting and awareness
The Government has already established a Flood Forecasting and Warning Center. However,
due to weaknesses in the dissemination system, the information does not reach the
beneficiaries. The current forecasting mechanism cannot meet the needs of the rural
communities for flash flood-related information. The warning is usually disseminated only
through a website, which is not even accessible to most urban areas. Communities must find
ways to have access to forecasts and disseminate the information in a user-friendly manner,
such as utilizing local volunteers who would disseminate information by using megaphone or
public microphones (as used in mosques). In addition to dissemination of information
regarding forecasts, the following activities would enhance awareness concerning flood
preparedness.
Raise awareness of the community members on preparedness activities at the
household levels.
Translate flood warning into local language and warn people.
Monitor rise and fall of water during the flood season.
Arrange meetings on a regular basis.
Liaise with relevant organization(s) to receive information regarding flood forecasting
and warning; disseminate such information upon receipt of warning.
Preparedness in terms of crop selection, alternative practices, livestock & poultry,
household activities (upon receipt of flood warning formal and/or informal)
Agricultural preparedness at the community level may have little scope, especially in the
absence of agricultural cooperatives. For the common interest of the community members,
there may be a number of activities that would enable the farmers to safeguard their livestock,
agricultural machinery and equipment, unutilized fertilizer and most importantly, seeds.
Make arrangements for safe storage of agricultural equipment, fertilizers and seeds,
preferably in a common place where vigilance is possible, even during high floods.
Put name tags or signs & symbols, preferably printed in permanent (water resistant)
ink, on each of the items to be stored in a common storage.
Make arrangements, in cooperation with the Agricultural sub-Committee, in order to
resist theft and avoid mishandling.
12 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
13/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Household and/or Family-level Activities
Preparedness for flash floods and minimizing negative flood impacts
Change, if possible, the weakened pillars/stilts.
Raise, where possible, the level of plinth of the cattle-sheds.
Collect pipes for tubewell and raise its level upon issuance of flood forecast.
Prepare elevated stages to: (a) store food (preferably dry food such as dry-rice,
molasses etc.), seeds and fuel (biomass), (b) keep fodder, and (c) store family assets
and valuables.
Take care of family boat(s), if any.
Collect carbolic acid from a dispensary and place it around the house (in order toavoid snake bite).
Raise the level of sanitary latrine. If possible, connect the latrine with the raised house
by a makeshift bridge (locally known asshanko).
Keep a few sachets/packets of oral saline, sugar & salt, water purifying tablets,
emergency first aid material etc. in a basket hanging from the ceiling/roof.
Forecasting and awareness
Keep an eye on available sources for information regarding flood warning.
Make strategic decisions based on available information, when to evacuate (if
necessary), where to go, how to relocate (modality & transportation,means), what to
take along and what to leave behind, who should be left behind for surveillance etc.
Preparedness in agriculture [in terms of crop selection, alternative practices, livestock &
poultry, household activities (upon receipt of flash flood warning formal and/or
informal)
Agriculture is the major economic activity of the rural households. People living in the
floodplains have been practicing a number of adaptation techniques to avoid large-scale
losses due to floods. Opting for alternative crop calendar, suited to the flood condition and
making best use of the remainder of the cropping season, collection of suitable seeds, making
seedbeds on raised lands, storing seeds in containers hanging from the ceiling these are all
observed as traditional coping practices. The following sub-section describes flood
preparedness and awareness with a view to preserving the crop and other agricultural
resources at household levels.
13 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
14/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Crop preservation
During flash floods and river-water floods, a huge quantity ofwater hyacinths and other ripe
paddy specially create problems in cultivating Aman paddy. In the circumstances, a rope or
bamboo fence should be made around the cultivated land. In places where this type of
flood/disaster is expected, seedlings ofSesbania on the border of the cultivable land should
be raised before the onset/increase of water and later these trees ofSesbania will make a
natural fence.
Harvesting of premature crops
In order to reduce the loss burden, it may appear to be necessary to harvest premature
standing crops (viz., vegetables, spinach etc.) if there is a threat of such crops being
inundated.
Agricultural resources preservation
It is necessary to take early measures such as seed preservation for expediting agricultural
activities following recession of floodwaters.
Efforts must be made to preserve sufficient amount of seeds in each household.
Preservation of seeds is a measure to ensure seed availability after the flood. Seeds of
the following crops may be preserved: paddy, wheat, corn, millets, pulses, oil and
potato seeds etc.
It is also necessary to create/develop adequate number of seedbeds in the flood free
areas. With prior agreement with a household, several families can be benefited
mutually by sharing the burden of seed procurement and preparing a flood free land to
develop the seedbed.
RESPONSES DURING FLASH FLOODS
During flash floods, one may choose from only two major types of response: (i) living with
flash floods while staying inside the household or (ii) escaping flash flood waters and taking
shelter either in non-flooded areas or in nearby flood shelters, if available. The latter response
wholly depends on social organization of the refuge-seeking family and/or availability of
collectively maintained temporary flood shelter(s) in the neighbourhood. In the study sub-
basins, people consider both the options, It is interesting to note that, living within the
marooned homestead is predominantly a family-level response, while opting for relocating
14 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
15/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
temporarily in a flood shelter is a community level response. However, opting to relocate to a
neighbours or a kins house is again a family-level response measure during a flash flood.
Shift, if possible, children (below 10 years of age), the old (above 60), adolescent
girls, pregnant women, and lactating mother(s) in safer places (flood shelters, flood
free kins house etc.).
Mark safest escape routes by hanging colored signs hanging on tress (to facilitate
quick and safe relocation).
Living with Flash Floods
Housing condition
Build a makeshift high platform (within the house) and put perishable belongings
there to avoid submergence.
Protect the house from being eroded by wave activity by creating a protection belt
(use dhol-kolmir jharot or bamboo sticks/jute sticks etc).
Food and drinking water storage and handling
Safeguard perishable food items, cooking fuel, and valuables from submergence
(placing those on elevated platforms/hanging from the roof).
Collect tubewell water. If non-contaminated water is not available, purify water
before drinking.
Health care and hygiene
Keep recording the state of health of each of the family members. Transfer sick
member to nearest health care center.
Provide drinking water, fodder and animal feed to livestock and poultry, as needed.
Avoid defecation in open water (otherwise it will be polluted and affect others), try to
use sanitary latrine.
Keep the homestead sanitary latrine connected with the house by making a bamboo-
made makeshift bridge (locally known asshako).
Use oral saline when there is an outbreak of diarrhea disease. If deemed necessary,
quickly transfer the patient to the nearest hospital/health care facility.
Keep carbolic acid in small bottles (mouth remaining open) hanging along the outer
sidewalls (out of reach of children) to avoid snake invasion and snakebites.
Crop management
15 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
16/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
When water is receding from the flash flood affected land or areas, fruit trees are about to fall
due to soil conditions. Efforts must be made to provide support to the falling trees by holding
them up with a bamboo-support and fastening the trees to the support to keep them standing.
If necessary, fruits can be taken away or trees can be pruned according to the method
recommended by the Thana Agriculture/ Forest Officer. After the soil becomes dry,
fertilizing and other nursing can be done properly.
Livestock and poultry management including livestock feed
Safeguard livestock and poultry from submergence (placing those on elevated
platforms and rafts).
Provide water, feed and fodder to livestock and poultry regularly.
Periodically assess the state of health of the domestic animals and birds and arrange
for vaccines from Thana Veterinary Doctors.
Create bamboo-made temporary bridges (as described earlier) to connect the
household with the non-submerged roads in order to keep communication
uninterrupted.
Keep a boat or a raft handy for maintaining communication, especially for
transferring sick and/or the elderly to safer places.
Where financially viable, create provisions for procurement of at least two engine
powered (fibre-glass) boats to facilitate transfer of patients to distant Thana sadar, if
needed, to keep contact with Thana sadar, and to fetch emergency requirements etc.
Make a periodic maintenance plan of the engines and the boat, especially during non-
flood periods.
Preparing for temporary flood shelters
Operationalize Community-level Flood Management Committee. Develop a
participatory management code for undertaking day-to-day activities of the proposed
flood shelter.
Clearly mark escape routes, preferably showing signs along the escape routes.
Assess the overall requirement of space within the flood shelter and if needed,
increase capacity elsewhere and/or within the premises.
Clean up the premises, provide room for the privacy of the females.
Check where to place cooking utensils and stoves.
16 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
17/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Create sufficient number of sanitary latrines, based on capacity assessment. Make
cleaning up schedules for the latrines.
Keep frequent contacts with the Thana Health Officer and make arrangements for
health check-ups at regular intervals.
Create separate spaces for storage of (a) medicine, (b) food items, (c) register
books/logbooks, (d) money, (e) dry fuel etc.
Provide rooms for treating patients, privacy of lactating mothers and adolescent girls
and overall administration of the activities.
POST-FLASH FLOOD REHABILITATION
Getting Back to Normal Life
True to their proverbial resilience, people in Bangladesh are keen to bounce back to their
usual quotidian lives despite incurring heavy losses in terms of crops, livestock, and property.
Interpersonal relationship and kinship often play a vital role in deriving assistance from ones
neighbours/ kins folk. Community approach to mend partially damaged houses, often by
means of offering free labour, is very common. Well-to-do people sometimes employ
Sometimes access to credit is deliberately increased and offered to the poor, but often at a
very high interest rate. A community can help restoration of (a) houses, (b) sanitation
facilities in each household, (c) water supply facilities at community levels, (d) commuter
roads/ bridges/culverts/electric connections, (e) educational activities, and (f) health care
facilities.
Returning home
Return home, if taken refuge in flood shelter.
Bring back family members taking refuge elsewhere.
Bring back livestock and poultry, as necessary.
At community level, help transfer of temporary refugees to their respective houses.
Restoration of health care, hygiene, and sanitation
At household level, monitor health condition of the family members and perform
periodic health care check-ups.
Restore tubewell as needed.
Restore sanitary latrine, as needed.
At community level, help improve the environmental condition the households.
17 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
18/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
Repair and Maintenance of dwellings, community infrastructure etc.
Mend the houses where necessary.
Mend earthen cooking stove as needed.
Reconstruct household storage facilities for (i) food items, (ii) fodder for livestock,
(iii) cooking fuel etc.
Reconstruct/mend partially or fully destroyed sanitary latrines.
Help neighbors to mend their houses, household storage facilities and sanitary
latrines, if assistance is sought.
Restoration of means of communication
At community level, repair breached embankments, if any, and reestablish a sense of security
as soon as possible.
Mend and/or reconstruct religious centers in a participatory fashion and restore
religious activities as early as possible.
Make community-based efforts to restore road networks by reviving the washed off
rural roads and reestablishing the culverts/bridges.
Repair, in a participatory manner, partially or fully destroyed local educational
institutions (schools, madrasas, colleges etc.) and restore academic activities as soon
as possible.
Reconstruct, if needed, local markets and community centers; restore usual
community-based activities in public places.
Reestablish telecommunication network, if necessary (perhaps becoming redundant
with the advent of satellite telecommunication services).
Through community participation, reestablish electric poles and connections, if
damaged.
At community level, liaise with relevant GO/NGOs and help bring relief. Distribute
relief on the basis of needs and priorities.
Meeting agricultural needs
At community level, collect and distribute seedlings, as needed.
At community level, help negotiate soft-term credits for the poor families to restore
economic activities (e.g., crop production, horticulture, agroforestry, nursery, pond-
culture, small-scale industries/workshops, smallscale trading etc.).
18 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
19/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
At household level, contact Thana Agriculture Officer for guidance in relation to
selection & collection of seeds, assessment of suitability of crop for the remainder of
the Kharif period, selection of feed for the livestock and poultry.
Regeneration of Economic Activities
Increasing access to seedlings
The poor farmers may be offered seedlings as loans to make the best use of the remainder of
the post-flood crop season, which may be repaid following harvest. A community can
collectively negotiate with credit-offering lending institutions (banks) for soft term loans for
various purposes, particularly for purchasing seedlings from elsewhere. Collectively, a
community can also demand assistance of the Thana Agriculture Office for arranging
seedling collection and distribution.
Homestead horticulture
It is necessary to take measures to grow vegetables within the homestead. Thana Agriculture
Officers can play vital roles in enhancing support for extension of homestead horticulture by
providing seeds of quick-growing varieties.
Nursery establishment
Establishment of nursery can be a profitable agro-business, which requires active support
from the community itself.
Pond re-excavation for fisheries
A few members of a community can re-excavate an unproductive pond (haja/moja pukur)
and start small-scale fish culture. The larger community can facilitate access to credit and
other services for such local initiatives.
Transport
A community can easily assess the transportation needs of the local community members and
run a small-scale transport business. Such an activity will also provide employment for some
people.
CONCLUSION
It is envisaged that a manual as devised and detailed above will provide basic information to
flood-vulnerable communities on what steps to take towards encountering specific problems,
anticipatory or real, in order to avoid losses due to floods. The primary aim of such a manual
is to enhance peoples capabilities towards managing flood individually and/or collectively.
19 | P a g e
8/3/2019 Final Flash Flood1
20/20
Flash Flood in
Bangladesh (Haor area)
No attempt has been made to suggest construction-biased and investment-intensive medium-
to large-scale engineering methods. In many cases, local-level flood vulnerability can be
modified to a great extent by involving such techniques. However, these do not fall within the
purview of the current study-based project.
20 | P a g e