Flooding in ELDC – Learner activity
Flooding
Why is Vivek worried his home will flood?
1. Cut out the cards below and divide them into the following categories:
1. Causes of flooding
2. Solutions
3. Extra information
2. Discuss why each of the causes may affect flooding and how each of the solutions may help
reduce the risk.
3. Take the causes cards and divide them into the following categories

Human

Physical
4. Discuss the similarities and differences in the human and physical causes of flooding in
Bangladesh and the UK.
Bangladesh borders India in Asia
Bangladesh is prone to cyclones
Weather conditions over the Bay
of Bengal can generate winds of
up to 200km/hr
Vivek lives with his wife and 5
children. His mother also lives
with them
Vivek is a farmer. He grows
vegetables close to the village
Heavy rainfall is seasonal
Two of Vivek’s siblings drowned
eight years ago
Vivek lives in a small village in the
Bangladesh countryside
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/readyforemergencies
Flooding
Flooding in ELDC – Learner activity
The area where Vivek lives lies
below sea level
Levees rise above the
surrounding land in the hope that
they will prevent flooding
A levee is a raised earth bank
designed to hold back a river
International charities are worried
about people living in the area
around the Ganges Delta
There is very little money
available in the village for
prevention strategies
Deforestation has occurred in the
Himalayas
The area around the village is
very heavily farmed. Many people
live there
Vivek lives in a small village
where most people are farmers
The community in which Vivek
lives has no television or radio
The high winds from cyclones
create storm surges
The Bay of Bengal is a funnel
Steeper ground and a lack of
shape and gets shallower towards vegetation causes faster surface
the coast.
run off
Improving roads around the
Ganges Delta
When the river bursts its banks
the water spreads quickly
The flood plain is a flat area of
land around the river channel
Cyclones bring large amounts of
rain
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/readyforemergencies
Flooding
Flooding in ELDC – Learner activity
Reinforcing the banks of the
Ganges and Brahmaputra would
help
The land around the delta is very
flat
The Flood Action Plan would
bring better weather forecasting
using satellites
People are encouraged to build
their houses on stilts to raise
them above water level
Additional shelters could be built
for use during floods
Silt from the mountains often
blocks river channels and causes
the water level to rise
Vivek is proud wants to provide
for and look after his own family
Storm surges can increase tides
by 7-8 metres
Aid such as clean water and food
must be given
Aid using appropriate technology
is more sustainable
Global warming is causing sea
levels to rise. A rise of 0.5m
would cause 15% of the country
to be submerged
Education programmes can help
people to be prepared
International awareness can help
to reduce the impacts of global
warming
Preparing emergency services
helps them to react quickly in the
event of a flood
http://www.educationscotland.gov.uk/readyforemergencies