27.+Vulnerability+to+flooding


 * __BASIC INFORMATION ON BANGLADESH

Vulnerability to Flooding in Bangladesh By Joe Landini.

1. Flooding By River__**

Bangladesh has an increased vulnerability to flooding as it is susceptible to flooding as it is located in the low-lying Ganges-Brahmuptra River Delta (also known as the Ganges Delta). This delta is formed by the river Ganges, Brahmuptra and Mehgna river and all of their respective tributaries. They all join and eventually empty out into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers often overflow and flood the surrounding areas, however this overflooding also produces some of the most fertile land in the world, of which feeds a large majority of the nation.

A great example of this is taken from the great online wiki, Wikipedia, and is as follows:

<[]> //'// In September 1998, Bangladesh saw the most severe flooding in modern world history. As the Brahmaputra, Ganges and Meghna spilt over and swallowed 300,000 houses, 9,700 kilometres (6,000 mi) of road and 2,700 kilometres (1,700 mi) of embankment 1,000 people were killed and 30 million more were made homeless with 135,000 cattle killed, 50 square kilometres of land destroyed and 11,000 kilometres of roads damaged or destroyed. Two-thirds of the country was underwater. There were several reasons for the severity of the flooding. Firstly, there were unusually high [|monsoon] rains. Secondly, the [|Himalayas] shed off an equally unusually high amount of melt water that year. Trees that usually intercept rain water were cut down for firewood or to make space for animals.'


 * __2. Cyclones__**

As it is located extremely close to the Tropic of Cancer, the Bangladeshian climate is extremely tropical with a mild winter, and a very hot, humid summer. Due to this, there are high levels of natural rainfall, which can often result in flooding aswell. Tropical cyclones can also originate from below the country in the Bay of Bengal, and intensify extremely quickly over the windy, humid seas of the Bay of Bengal.

Those are the two reasons why Bangladesh is extremely susceptible to flooding,

- Joe