FLOOD
Flood
Every year many people around the world lost their lives due to natural disasters.Natural disasters like flood, earthquake, tsunami.The most common is flood though we cannot control flood but we can take the measure to reduce its effect.
Flood meaning
Flood means overflow of water that submerged a area that is dry.Due to flood people not only loose their life but it also caused a destruction to property.The effect of the flood is severe because it can submerged a particular area with a small period of time.In the year 1930 china faced a severe flood in which 2 to 4 lakh people died.
Causes of flood
Here are the common causes of flood
1.Heavy rainfall
2.overflow of rivers
3.urban drains
4.tsunami
5.dam breaking
1.Heavy rainfall
In common sense the area which receives heavy rainfall is prone to flood.
2.overflow of rivers
Due to heavy rainfall the water level of the river increase and it stretches and spread into the downstream and as a result of this increase in water level of rivers .It overflow and submerged into area which is dry .
3.urban drain
Since there is a lot of development works in the urban area take place .Though there are many drain and reservoirs but it require maintenance from time to time . Whenever there is a heavy rainfall the water is not absorb because of drain it ultimately lead to waterlogging i.e . means flood though it cannot kill people.But it causes economic loss.
4. Tsunami
Some times flood also caused to tsunami . Tsunami occur when the high tide along side the coastal areas.Due to high speed of wind water overflow and this results as a flood.
5.Dam breaking
As previously noted due to high rainfall the water overflows and this water flow into downstream.So the government built dams to stop the water and if the speed of water sometimes is high so that it results into dam break and overflow water submerged into dry area.
Effect of flood
Here are the effect of flood
Every year many people lost their life in flood.
After the severe flood there is huge damaged caused to individuals.Many businesses gets collapsed . School and college to remain closed.After the flood many disease arise likedengue cholera.many people get homeless.They don't have jobs since the area is submerged under area .there is no business activities going there.so people get unemployed.So the people face the problem of hunger. Therefore the govt provide food supplements to the people. After flood rescue operation is also take place.people were taken to safer place.
Type of flood
1.river flood
River flood occur when the water level in the river increases .This is due to the heavy rainfall in river.Because of this heavy rainfall water level in the river ,lakes overflowed and the water flows into the surrounding area and due to the high speed of water it breaks the dam that is being used as a protective measure for fighting flood.
Pluvial flood
Pluvial occur independent of water level in the river.It occur due to extreme rainfall.Earlier I have stated that the area which are prone to rainfall is having more chances of flood.But sometimes it's not the case.It is of two types
1.surface water flood
2.flash flood
1.surface water flood
Sometimes we have a misconception that only that the area which high rainfall is more prone to flood.But flood also occur in urban area.There has been lot of development works in urban areas .Many building are made and industries are also set up for boosting economic activity in urban areas.Many drain and reservoirs are made .But as a result of excess rain sometimes there is problem of water logging due to poor maintenance of drains.Water is not absorb and it takes a lot of time to absorb the water from area.This is called surface water flood.
2.Flash flood
Falah flood occur when the water from dam are released and this water submerged the surrounding areas due to the high speed of water.Dam are created as a protective measure for flood.but sometimes dam cannot resist or tolerate high intensity of water.So the water from dam have to be released.This result as flood.
3.coastal flood
Coastal flood occur around the sea .When due to under water earthquake in the sea occurs then due to the high speed of wind. water overflow in the area around the sea.then the dry area submerged under water.This is called coastal flood .
Indian government plan to combat flood
Indian government has adopted several measures to control flood.Out of these the first step that the government has taken is the introduction of National flood programme in the year 1954 .The motive of this programme has several aspects.The government has decided to form many reservoirs and dam to combat flood.Many kilometres of embankments were also formed.But this results as a failure.
2.National flood commission
It was formed by the government of India in the year 1976 to control flood because the previous plan failed.In the year 1984 members of commission came up with a 200 recommendations.Out of these the top recommendations are:
1. Earlier it was believed that the area which receives rainfall is more prone to flood.But now the rainfall pattern has changed and it totally depend on the dam.
2.The government has made many dams but the flood occur every year.So the commission suggested before declaring any dam as dam the introspection is required.
3. The third recommendation is that it's not always the government is to be action.But this commission also suggested that the government should try to educate people about the cause , effect of flood.So that the less casualty will be there
There are many more initiative by the government which I will tell you in the next blog
Stay tuned.
Thanks
Saurabh Singh
Tags:
Environment