Floods and the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta

Abstract

Bangladesh is a highly flood prone country, reflecting the strongly seasonal regional climate and monsoon river flows of the Ganges, Brahmaputra and Meghna Rivers, its low-lying nature and its position at the north of the Bay of Bengal. Flooding can be classified as either fluvial, tidal, fluvial-tidal or storm surge, each of which create different flood extents and associated damages. Cyclones and associated storm surges can breach embankments threatening life and livelihoods on the coast, while extreme fluvial events can cause extensive flooding of up to a quarter of the national land area. Existing management interventions, including flood warnings, cyclone shelters, and coastal embankments, mitigate flood inundation and its consequences. However, they can affect the hydro- and morphodynamics in the area influencing future flood events.