Disaster Dispatch
 
Editorial 
Flooding in South Asia
South Asia, proverbially known as the region of rivers experience floods as a recurring phenomenon. Traditionally, riverine communities have had to deal with outlandish tides when the rivers pour waters out of their sparse banks. It becomes disaster, if it devastates life and wealth. A review of classical literature, however, suggests that at one time this disaster used to be identified as a 'punishment of God/gods' on account of the sins committed by inhabitants. Communities have been responding to this disaster with their own knowledge and wisdom, capacity and capability. Now, with the advent of development visions in 'modern' times, it is maintained that most of the losses of these natural disasters are because of mal-development. Folk perception of disaster interestingly stands vindicated at least on this point, as the mal-development turns to be a modern version of 'sin' resulting in different disasters. Sometimes, it becomes the cause and sometimes it happens to be due to lack of response to these customary disasters. Floods have caused a vast amount of damage and death for the riverine localities down the history, even in the recent years with the sophistication of science and technology, amid the abundance of money and production, these chronic victims could not be saved from these seasonal assaults. 

Recent studies conclude that huge economic and, social losses result from flooding in river floodplains and coastal regions subject to storm-surges and these such studies also inform that vulnerability is increasing in parallel with economic development. Floods continue to kill vast numbers of people, particularly in developing countries. Here poverty intensifies natural hazards and vice versa. 

Floods, heavy rains and land sliding assailed South Asian countries resulting into a great amount of loss of life and damage to properties in last three months.
In Nepal, 13 people have been killed by landslides and collapsing houses during heavy rains outside the capital Kathmandu in the last few weeks. Among those killed were five members of a single family, including a four-year-old child, who died when their mud-walled house in a western suburb of Kathmandu collapsed. 

Reports said that heavy rains have also threatened to flood Bangladesh's delta region, which is criss-crossed by more than 230 rivers "Bangladesh is experiencing more rains in June compared to last year and could trigger floods," an official monitoring the situation told AFP. 

Last year, Bangladesh was devastated by the century's worst floods which killed more than 1,200 people and caused damage and losses worth an estimated two billion dollars. 

This year floods and landslides caused by rains have left few Asian countries unscathed and caused billions of dollars in damage. Worst hit has been China and India, but Vietnam, Bangladesh and Nepal have also been badly affected.  The death toll in India, where floods began late June, remained at more than 300, including 141 in the eastern state of Bihar. Pakistan also suffered great human and material damage in the North West Frontier province, Punjab and in two districts of Sindh (Thatta and Badin) because of flood and cyclone. 

WMO/UNESCO Sub-Forum on Science and Technology apprehends climate change in future that may compound the problem through sea-level rise, resulting in regarding of riverbeds and more frequent overtopping of banks and levees. It may also enable an increasing percentage of tropical cyclones to reach coastlines, one   study suggests an increase of about 30% is likely in the number of tropical cyclones which make landfall.

Keeping in view the fact that flood is annual feature in South Asian countries, it is therefore suggested for the future that risk assessment needs to be accepted as an important peculiarity in mitigating the effects of flooding. There is a need for continuing research and capacity building efforts to improve preparedness and strengthen early warning and other mitigation aspects. Structural measures, land use and planning approaches, forecasting and warning systems, identification or construction of safe havens and public education and awareness initiatives -- as indicated by WMO/UNESCO Sub-Forum on Science and Technology in support of natural disasters reduction-- all play vital roles in achieving these objectives. In South Asian countries, investment is required in capacity building and vulnerability reduction "to keep floods away from people and keep people away from floods". 
__________
Amjad Bhatti

We welcome your comments, suggestions and contribution.
Amjad Bhatti  afbhatti@hotmail.com
Phone: 92 51 8 088, 8 009
Duryog Nivaran dnnet@itdg.lanka.net
Journalists Resource Centre jrc@syberwurx.com

An Online Bimonthly on South Asian Disasters  (August - September 1999) 
South Asia Media Group on Disaster Mitigation 
Collaboration: Duryog Nivaran, Sri Lanka & Journalists Resource Centre  Pakistan

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