Asked by
Birds of the sky (2 Golds)
Sunday, 30 Aug 2020, 11:18 PM
at (News
Editorial)
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Answer(s):
============================ The Re - Appearance Of Disastrous Flood Amid Global Pandemic ============================ "Bangladesh is going through a tough situation as it has witnessed a short-term flood amidst the coronavirus pandemic " ~ Dr Md Enamur Rahman , The State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief ~ °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° In the middle of the dubiousness caused by the untarnished spread of coronavirus in Bangladesh and the global economic downturn, the situation is being prodigiously worse in many districts owing to some 14 rivers across the country flowing above the danger levels. According to a bulletin from the Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre, the water levels of the Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Padma and Meghna may rise further, exacerbating the unexplainable suffering of people who have already been affected by floods that have obliterated embankments, roads and homesteads, and posing a great threat to croplands as well. Heavy flooding is worsening in parts of Bangladesh, with over 2 million villagers marooned or leaving their homes for higher ground along with their cattle and other belongings. A UN study published on March 21 said that more and severe floods are likely in Bangladesh and India due to climate change, and by 2030, floods could cost South Asia as much as USD 215 billion each year. °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° "Responding to the flood is complicated by the fact that these efforts are taking place as Bangladesh is also addressing the COVID-19 pandemic and recovering from Cyclone Amphan, which hit Bangladesh in May, was the strongest storm in the Bay of Bengal " ~ American Red Cross ~ °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Bangladesh is a low-lying country and will be prone to flooding every year, especially as we are also among the most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. Floods,for this reason, are not a new phenomenon in Bangladesh and unfortunately, every year we see untold destruction of crops, damage of roads and infrastructure, and of course, immense suffering for hundreds of thousands of people as they see their belongings, and often their homes, being washed away due to the floods, leaving them with nothing. The floods started late last month, and after briefly easing continued to worsen, affecting many new areas, destroying crops and driving people from their homes in several impoverished regions. Bangladesh is criss-crossed by 230 rivers, including 53 shared rivers with India.The government has estimated crop losses from flash floods at Tk 3.49 billion.The floods have destroyed harvests of paddy, vegetables, jute and other crops. In the first phase, floods from June 25 to July 8, affected approximately 76,310 hectares of paddy fields in 14 districts where a total of 344,000 farmers were victimised. In the second phase, from July 11 to July 19, around 83,000 hectares of paddy fields in 26 districts, including the previous 14 districts, were damaged.The northern Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Rangpur, Nilphamari and Gaibandha, northwestern Natore, Naogaon, Bogra, Sirajganj and Rajshahi, northcentral Jamalpur and Tangail and central Manikganj districts in the Brahmaputra-Jamuna basin, central districts of Rajbari, Faridpur, Madaripur, Shariatpur and Munshiganj and southeastern Chandpur in the Ganges-Padma basin and northeastern Netrokona, Sylhet and Sunamganj and central district of Kishoreganj in the Meghna basin may witness the fresh wave of flood. However, what makes the current situation worse is that most of the people who are being forced to sleep without a roof over their heads are barely getting any food and provisions, and are surviving on dry food. This is unacceptable. These people are already going through extreme suffering -- losing their homes and belongings. They should not have to fear starvation as well, and the authorities must do a better job with their relief efforts and ensure that not a single person goes hungry. __________________________________ " The situation is worsening.The worst thing is that the floods are getting prolonged this year, which is a bad sign.” ~ Ministry Of Disaster Management & Relief ~ °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Too often, despite the provisions existing to ease people’s suffering during floods, it is unfortunate that, time and time again, due to mismanagement and a lack of decisive implementation, their suffering continues.This is not only extremely disheartening, as no human should have to face the loss of their homes and access to food and other necessities, but it is also disappointing because, despite floods being a yearly challenge that Bangladesh has to deal with, it appears we are yet to truly rise to the challenge of being capable of mitigating its effects. __________________________________ "30 percent of the country has been inundated already and what is being seen is worse than ever before. It may be the most dreadful flood of the century ever experienced the people of the country. " ~ Flood Forecasting and Warning Centre ~ °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Some specific measures must be deployed to avoid double exposures: COVID-19 and flooding. Firstly, the government will have to ensure that citizens are food secured. They must expand and improve emergency food assistance and social protection programmes to meet the needs of the most vulnerable people.
It is significant to boost country-wide agricultural production by implementing the Prime Minister’s directive: every inch of land must be brought under cultivation. In tandem, initiatives are needed to mobilise the agricultural market. To be sure, the critical situations can not be managed and overcome by government’s interventions alone. That is why, market systems have to be fully reopened, despite having lots of risks. Employing necessary health safety measures are mandatory. Discrimination is everywhere, and in every part of our everyday life. Natural disasters perpetuate discrimination. Discrimination is more obvious in the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective measures are crucial to eradicate it. For instance, to ensure enough food and nutrition for the poor and extreme poor, the government should launch initiatives to formulate ‘Laws on Right to Food.’ It is exceedingly difficult for the government to tackle these challenges alone. A combined and coordinated effort is not only crucial for addressing the most urgent priority for minimising the loss of lives, but also overcoming the major socio-economic crises arising from flooding (and cyclone) and COVID-19, which are still unfolding. Mobilising private sectors and NGOs are important in this regard.It is only when Bangladesh devises a long-term strategy against floods and oversees effective implementation of it will we truly see progress being made. Relief efforts for the people suffering are of course necessary, but they do not solve the problem. What has been needed, for which we still see little progress, is a sound strategy to tackle the devastation caused by flooding, year in, year out. Unless we see a sustainable long-term solution emerge, floods will continue to catch us off-guard, causing inestimable damage. ============================ ============================= Answered by Birds of the sky (2 Golds) Sunday, 30 Aug 2020, 11:19 PM |