Understanding the floods

The first and second week of July 2010 saw a big flood disaster in Punjab and Haryana districts in Ghaggar basin. An analysis by SANDRP of this disaster shows that the flood became a disaster and the disaster spread largely due to man made reasons, including ill designed and inadequately maintained canals, embankments, not using the information of upstream rains and floods, encroachment of the flood plains amongst others.

A more detailed map, including chronology of flood eventsRead More

This initiative is an attempt to provide daily updates on Flood Situations and related events/news to water enthusiasts, professionals and citizens concerned about flood in Odisha. News and information collected from Odia news papers, English media (internet editions) and web site of Department of Water Resources, Govt of Odisha are put together at one place to provide an overview of flood in Odisha on a daily basis. Read More

This is an essay by Anupam Mishra written in the context of the floods in Bihar, and examines the various cause & effect facets of the  floods.

Small and big dams and big embankments were constructed in this region, without understanding the nature of the rivers which have always changed course or overshot their banks. Assuming however, that the river will not change course, the Government adopted a skewed development program - that of building embankments to contain the river. Today, we have realised that these embankments instead of controlling floods, have only caused greater harm.

The article was written first in 2004, and republished again in 2008 after the Bihar floods.

Download the complete essay:Read More