Flooding

With the approach of the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season commencing on June 1st, the National Emergency Management Advisory Committee (NEMAC) needs to publish a final list of approved Emergency Shelters for households that need to evacuate flood-prone areas. The NEMAC Chairperson drafted a set of criteria to guide the Selection Subcommittee members in their decision-making. A key requirement is that a candidate facility should not be prone to the impacts of flooding and landslide events which are likely to occur within a 200 m radius from the Emergency Shelter’s point of location. The Selection Subcommittee is challenged with finding a scientific and objective method for determining whether or not the criteria has been met by the applicants. The focus of the research was to utilise FOSS GIS applications along with raster and vector data to determine which building facilities should be disqualified and then identify optimal locations for Emergency Shelters as a replacement for the disqualified candidate sites, based on various criteria including distance away from hazard risk areas, proximity to a motorable roadway and building size.

According to a recent report by the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the Nile Delta is increasingly vulnerable to coastal flooding due to rising sea levels which is an implication of global warming . The report also highlights that approximately 2,660 km2 in the northern Delta are projected to be submerged by the year 2100. This comprises about 25% of the Delta as stated by mathematical models. Coastal cities , like Alexandria, are also facing same problem. It is said that every year Alexandria sinks by about three millimeters. Experts say that this is due to the lack of silt in the soil, which has a solidifying effect and is increasingly being retained by the Nile Dam in Aswan, Upper Egypt. All that relates to water, as global warming results in elevating sea levels and hence flooding of coastal cities is at stake.

Bangladesh is one of the most vulnerable countries to natural hazards and disasters. Among the natural hazards and disasters, flooding is one of the most frequent and severe due to the country's geographical location, dense river networks, and monsoon climate. Flood events displace populations and communities, damage infrastructure, and disrupt livelihoods. This challenge focuses on assessing social vulnerability to flooding by considering factors such as population density, poverty levels, access to resources, and adaptive capacity. By understanding vulnerability at a granular level, targeted interventions can be designed to enhance resilience.