Bangladesh: Early flood warning saves lives

The frequency and severity of various hazards increased over the last few decades because of the changes in climate. The main reason for flooding in Bangladesh is not only the heavy rainfall within the country, but also other issues, including – snow-melt from the upstream countries, deforestation, shrinking of the rivers' capacity, building of dams in the upstream for irrigation and many more. One of the World Bank's studies shows that among various types of hazards, the damage caused by flood is 23 percent while it is 19% by cyclone and 15% by landslide. In Bangladesh, early warning is more prompt and precise for cyclone, but not strong enough for floods. We are aware that the country's disaster management regulatory framework is very strong. The Disaster Management Act2015 agrees that we should ensure the warning through accessible language for dissemination and should coordinate with neighboring countries. Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan pointed “forecasts are released through emails and website, there is scope for improvement”.

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