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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

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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)

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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,

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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'.

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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.

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.).

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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.

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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.

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