Flood : humanmade or natural disaster ?

Samarth Chauhan
Sep 4, 2018 · 3 min read

Do you know how many people died because of the flood in the last 60 years?. Do know many animals killed due to flood in the previous century?. Over one lakh people and sixty lakh animals died in India due flood only(1). Beginning from the first week of July 2018, the southern part of India specially Kerela was significantly affected by the flood, and because of this over 500 people died, 20 are missing, and about million people were displaced from their home to live in relief camp(2).

Kozipally brige (Image taken from bing image)

After analysing the investigation reports of the various flood by experts, it is pointed out that one of the main reason of flood in the rural and urban area is the increasing unplanned civilisation near the river bank and chaotic system of the opening of a dam without warning. What happens in case of more than average rain, because only more than average can cause flood, dams and hydropower plant open their all gate as they cannot hold water beyond a specific capacity. This information of rain can be forecast by the weather department in advance to avoid last minute chaos but as there no system of an advance forecast for the alert of rain. Thirty-five out of the fifty-four dams opened in the Kerela for the first time in history, and water discharge from the dam was one of the main reason of the tragic flood in south India.

Kedarnath village after flood (taken from bing image)

Due to rapid industrialisation in last decade, peoples were using the space which was supposed for the flow and bank of the river, and when river flows in their full capacity, starts to overflow from the bank and starts entering in the city area. One great example is the severe flood of Uttarakhand in 2013 in which in which over five thousand people killed. As Rudraprayag Sangam village in Uttarakhand built in the middle of the river Mandakini, so when the excess water from the mountain comes to this village it takes away the whole town in one go as this village was in the area that meant for river only. The similar situation was in the Kerela, as Kerela is famous for its sight and beauty, numerous hotel, resort and towns built around the river and backyard lakes. The same case can be seen in the Delhi; flash flood occurs every year around the region of Yamuna as there are many unauthorised colonies which are blooming because of the cheap rate of land and build adjacent to the river.

Street near yamuna river ( taken from bing image)

At most of the time, it is taken for granted that the flood is caused only by natural reason, by over than average rain or cloudburst, but I think we have been very careless towards the preventive measure like a proper sewage system, forestation, leaving space for water to absorb by ground and many more which made flood a human-made disaster. In the recent days, the government had many steps to create an organised system for the transfer of information between the weather department and dams operators. But I think it is the responsibility of our as the government to take the alert seriously. Region hit by flood may take years to rebuild and also takes away many lives. At the time of a flood in any area, all citizen should come together to help each and give their helping hand for the need. So what do you think the flood is humanmade or natural ?.

(1)Times of India

(2)Wikipedia

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