BANGLADESH INSTITUTE OF INTERNATIONAL AND STRATEGIC STUDIES

UNDERSTANDING HIGH DISASTER RISK OF FLASH FLOOD IN HAOR REGION OF BANGLADESH

Author: Sajid Karim

DOI Link: https://www.doi.org/10.56888/BIISSj2017v38n3a1

ABSTRACT

The haor region, a wetland ecosystem situated in the north-eastern part of Bangladesh in the Meghna river basin, is one of the disaster hot-spots of the country. The area is geographically excluded and ecologically vulnerable. Furthermore, it is a part of Bangladesh where poverty is prevalent and natural disasters like floods and flash floods are very common. In 2017, the entire haor region of the country was inundated due to early flash flood, generated by relentless rain and onrush of flood water from the rivers upstream. Along with the destruction of huge crops, the flash flood caused havoc in the region by affecting livelihood opportunities including fisheries, duck farming, animal husbandry etc. Based on that, the study takes an attempt to identify the underlying factors responsible for high disaster risk of flash flood in the haorregion. The study argues that high disaster risk in the region is attributed to multidimensional vulnerability factors which limit the coping capacity of the people living there and make them susceptible to disasters. Apart from the unique physical location and hydrological setting that makes the haor region severely exposed to flash floods, the study identifies socio-political, economic, environmental, institutional and governance related factors responsible for high disaster risk in the region.