The River Ganges
The Gange River is one of the major rivers of the Indian subcontinent. It was recently named the National River of India. The Ganges and it's tributaries drain a 1,000,000 square kilometres fertile basin that supports one of the world's highest density of humans.
With 40% of the capital, Dhaka, underwater and warnings from aid agencies about water-borne diseases once the water finally recedes, questions have been asked as to why the floods this year have been so damaging.
Part of the answer is due to the fact that Bangladesh receives enormous amounts of water from four major rivers. The Padma - more widely known as the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Jamuna and the Meghna.
Deforestation may be partly to blame, causing soil erosion which reduces the ability of the land to absorb water.
Irrigation for farming is a factor, because this causes river channels to silt up, reducing their capacity to hold flood waters.
According to some experts, irrigation interferes with river drainage into the sea.
Climate experts also believe global warming is partly to blame, by increasing monsoon rainfall and speeding up the melting of Himalayan snows.
The floods can also be good for the crops however, as they fertilise the ground. The water gives nutrients into the soil, making crops grow better.
ReplyDeleteclimate change could be a major problem in Bangladesh as a one metre rise in sea level would put 1/5 of Bangladesh underwater and destroy 12% of its farmland
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