Flood Vulnerability Mapping to Riverine Floods: A Study on the Old Brahmaputra River

Abstract

Flood is an inevitable natural phenomenon occurring from time to time in all rivers and natural drainage systems of Bangladesh. It causes damage to lives and natural resources as well as the loss of economy and health. This study illustrates the flood vulnerability mapping to riverine floods in the Old Brahmaputra River in Mymensingh Sadar upazila. The flood vulnerability mapping of fourteen unions of Mymensingh Sadar is made by using satellite images, a structured questionnaire, observation and secondary data. Flood vulnerability mapping is a necessary pre-requisite for comprehensive flood mitigation programs. This study emphasizes the importance and needs of looking the phenomena of floods and floods vulnerable area at the national scale in order to fully understand and completely deal with the problem. Totally flood vulnerable unions are Borar Char, Paranganj, Sirta, Char Ishwardi and Char Nilakshmia and flood vulnerable free unions are Ghagra, Dapunia and Akua. With these flood vulnerability mapping, the legal authority can take necessary steps to reduce the flood risk.