Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
Rebellion ensued, and the Bangladeshi army went on a
rampage of killing and destruction in the northwest CHT .
Thousands of refugees fled to India' s T Tripura state. At least
8,000 rebels have died in this two-decade struggle.
A peace accord was signed in 1997, and about
50,000 refugees returned. The Jumma were given some
autonomy in the border areas, but the JSS continues to
press for further changes. The future of this region re-
mains uncertain.
Regional instability also engendered several core
areas focusing on such centers as Calcutta and Dhaka.
When East Pakistan was created, the key industrial cen-
ter and port of Calcutta was lost to India, leaving East
Pakistan without a viable industrial base or seaport.
Cotton and jute mills were built in Dhaka. Ports were
developed at Chittagong in the far south and Mangla in
the southwest. Dhaka and Chittagong remain the focus
of the modern economy . This economy is only in its ini-
tial stages relative to other countries in South Asia.
There are three types of floods that affect South Asia:
Seasonal Monsoon Floods. These increase slowly and
decrease slowly but cover large areas (Figure 9-2).
Flash Floods. These might be caused by global
warming. Glacial and snow melt in the Himalayas
along with deforestation causes streams and rivers
to rush down valleys, sweeping away everything in
their path.
Tidal Floods. These can occur with cyclones
or tsunamis and are typically 10 to 20 feet
(3-6 meters) high.
The erratic nature of Bangladesh' s climate produces
uncertainty . Normally , the monsoon generates 60 to
80 inches (150 to 200 cm) of precipitation from April to
October, with rainfall typically peaking from June to Sep-
tember. Excessive rains cause rivers to overflow their banks
and inundate surrounding regions. With deforestation and
rapid runoff, rivers become deluges. In 1974, two-thirds of
the country was under water; the subsequent famine killed
30,000 people. This degree of inundation occurred again in
1998, although with only a few thousand losing their lives.
The 2007 South Asian floods are said to have been the
worst floods in memory . A deluge of rain and snow melt
during an abnormal monsoon affected some 30 million
people in India, Nepal, and Bangladesh (Figure 9-3).
In Bangladesh, rising waters from the Brahmaputra
and Padma Rivers forced 7.5 million people to flee their
homes and 500,000 were marooned on little bits of high
ground. At least 100,000 suffered from waterborne dis-
eases and 500 people died. Help was long in coming as
The Impact of Floods
and Cyclones
“Bangladesh” is often perceived as synonymous with “dis-
aster.” It is true that millions of lives have been lost to natu-
ral forces. In August 1998, 10 million people were rendered
homeless by floods! Countless others were affected in 2002,
2003, and 2004. As geographers, we want to know why this
happens and what can be done about it.
Figure 9-2
These homes outside of Dhaka are built on stills
to avoid anual flooding. However , they have
been washed our on several occasions, including
the 2004 tsunami.
Photograph courtesy of
B. A. Weightman.
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