Rivers 2.2

Question 1

Living by a river + flooding

Answer 1

Bangladesh (Les Ganges)
Advantages of living by a river:
-flat land: easy to build roads and settlements
-very fertile soil
-water source: hydration + sanitation + irrigation
-food source: fishing, which also provides job opportunities
Disadvantages of living near a river:
-flooding is a common problem: over the past 200 years, millions of people have died due to floods.
-diseases spread quickly: wet and humid conditions
CAUSES:
-melting snow from Himalayas eroding the soil and increasing the discharge of the river
-global warming: leading to sea levels rising
IMPACTS:
-In 2004, a total of 20M families needed emergency relief
-50% of the country was covered by the flood
Flood management:
-plans for building dams and reservoirs have been put into action
-aid from other countries being provided