Question

Monuwara Begum’s family house is submerged with floodwaters in Sandahkhaiti, a floating island village in the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India.

What do you think could be the cause of floods in this region other than heavy rain? Suggest any one measure that can be undertaken to prevent such unfortunate situation in future.

Answer 1

Possible cause of floods:

1. Large amount of silt deposited by river Brahmaputra and its tributaries which make the river channel shallow and its capacity to carry large amounts of water get reduced.
2. Earthquakes occurring at frequent intervals may change the river course and obstruct the flow of water.
3. Huge rock falling from a landslide acts as a temporary dam leading to submergence of vast areas under water.
4. Change in the course of the river as it flows from the Himalayas.

Measures to prevent floods:

1. Building of dams and embankments.
2. Interlinking of rivers to prevent flooding of the regions.
3. Tree plantation on a massive scale to control flow of excess water.