3.7 - Bangladesh

Question 1

How much SLR projected for Bangladesh?

Answer 1

55cm by 2100

Question 2

How much farmland is projected to be lost by 2100?

Answer 2

40%

Question 3

What physical factors increase the risk of coastal flooding?

Answer 3

• Low-lying river delta (only 1-3m above sea level)
• Low atmospheric pressure = frequent tropical cyclones = intense rainfall, storm surges
• Triangle, funnel-shape Bay of Bengal concentrates storm surges into coastline

Question 4

What human factors increase the risk of coastal flooding?

Answer 4

• 2 large, densely populated cities (Dhaka + Chittagong) on coast - > 20 MILLION people overall
• 75% Dhaka wetlands lost to development = less natural storage for floodwater
• Poor katcha housing
• 47% workforce employed in agriculture - 15% of GDP

Question 5

What management strategies have been used and how effective have these been?

Answer 5

• Early warning systems using 5000 volunteers to warn people of oncoming cyclones - effective in 2020 Cyclone, only 26 deaths, 2.4 million people evacuated
• 12,000 cyclone shelters - some used as schools and stuff too
• Engineered coastal embankments - but poorly maintained and can block natural drainage = waterlogging
• Mangrove afforestation - reduces storm surge energy by up to 66%