By Kritin Deb
Over the past week, severe flooding in the state of Assam has resulted in the death of over 120 people. Estimates say that around 57 lakh people, hailing from all 33 districts of Assam have faced the blunt repercussions of the ‘natural disaster’. However, this is not an isolated event, as Assam hosts devastating flood cycles every year, leading to exorbitant loss of human and material resources. Therefore, it is imperative to become cognizant of the causes which give rise to the seemingly inevitable disaster and understand the measures undertaken to combat it.
Natural Causes
One of the biggest factors contributing to the annual floods is the very nature its source- The Brahmaputra river. Originating in the glaciers of the Himalayas, the Brahmaputra enters the floodplains of Assam with large amounts of sediment material, such as silt. As the velocity of the river decreases upon its entry into the floodplains, this material begins to settle on the riverbed, causing it to rise and thus increasing the surrounding area’s susceptibility to flooding. Considering the high levels of rainfall, alongside Assam’s proneness to earthquakes, one can understand the dynamic and unstable nature of Brahmaputra as it flows through the state.
Man Made Causes
Continued practices of deforestation and habitation have lead to widespread land erosion, which significantly increases the surface runoff during rainfall. As a result, the sediment concentration of the Brahmaputra is further increased. Unchecked urban planning caused due to the rapid growth in urbanisation has only contributed more to the increase in soil erosion. Settlements along the riverbanks and river- islands created through sedimentation further restrict the movement of the river. This results in great quantities of water being concentrated in narrow channels, leading to flooding. The existing dams across the river worsen the situation. Often, the water release from these dams is irregulated and improper. The amount of water released breaches the capacity of the river, leading to flooding. Lastly, we cannot ignore the impact of global warming and climate change on the current situation. Rising temperatures directly translate to accelerated melting of glaciers in the Himalayas. Therefore, with each year passing, the volume of water flowing through the Brahmaputra increases.
As an attempt to combat this disaster, several embankments were created along the riverbanks in Assam. However, most of these embankments haven’t been reinforced for the past 30-40 years. Administrative corruption is suspected as the main culprit, with the floods perpetuating a monetarily advantageous situation for those in power. Furthermore, these embankments cause greater damage to areas devoid of them. Since they decrease the width of the river and make it narrower, the water level increases. Therefore, when the river flows downstream into areas without the sanctuary of these embankments, flooding is inevitable.
While a natural disaster cannot be averted, loss of life and resources can be minimalised through effective disaster management strategies. It is imperative for Assam to improve its flood forecasting. Instead of investing in short term solutions such as dredging, the government must channel adequate resources towards the construction of long term sustainable solutions. Glimpses of promise could arise through international cooperation between India, China, Bangladesh and Tibet in an attempt to effectively manage the entire basin of the Brahmaputra. Furthermore, ‘Flood-Plain’ zoning, which entails a division of districts based on vulnerability and subsequent regulation of activities such as agriculture, could help mitigate the destructiveness of the annual floods. What remains certain is that in the absence of decisive action and implementation, these floods, which have affected over 1.5 million people on average since 2014, will only grow in power.
Below are some donation inks which you can use to help those affected in Assam.
https://cm.assam.gov.in/relieffund.php
https://www.rapidresponse.org.in/assam-floods.html
Sources:
The Quint
Livemint.com
Indian Express
India Today