BaCCC/Video Summaries/How Bangladesh Beat the World at Fighting Floods

Video Summary

How Bangladesh Beat the World at Fighting Floods (10:17)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rrtc8vBhlkI

• In 2020, Cyclone Amphan claimed 128 lives when it struck Bangladesh and India, but had that same storm hit Europe, it could have been far more deadly.
• Bangladesh was not always equipped to handle severe storms.
• On November 11, 1970, Cyclone Bhola barrelled into then East Pakistan, now known as Bangladesh, and West Bengal in neighbouring India, with 250,000 to 500,000 dead.
• The government response was so poor that it fuelled protests that triggered a civil war, which turned Bangladesh into an independent country.
• 1970 was a turning point both in terms of Bangladesh becoming an independent country and investing heavily in improving its ability to manage the risk of cyclones.
• The country can typically warn and move 2 to 3 million people every time there is a cyclone warning, and the deaths have been significantly reduced.
• In the 50 years since, Bangladesh has been struck by several cyclones; its population has more than doubled, but its death toll has fallen due to three main factors: technology, infrastructure and culture.
• Bangladesh developed technology and built weather stations and forecasting systems to predict the strength and path of cyclones.
• In the 1970s, Bangladesh only had 42 cyclone shelters; today, it has over 12,000 shelters defending its coastline.
• The rise in the number of women working and studying has made it easier to reach them with warnings.
• Women are more empowered, and connectivity is increasing, which has challenged the social barriers.
• The people have learnt from their mistakes and from the devastation.
• The lesson for other countries is that people can adapt to extreme weather.
• On 13 July 2021, heavy rains hit Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands, with floods killing more than 220 people. One of the main reasons for the casualties was that the culture to avert the looming disaster was not there.
• A case of negligent homicide was brought against local authorities in the town of Sinzig, where 12 people with disabilities living in a care home were killed by the floodwaters.
• Governments need to recognise that the threat of climate change is not going anywhere; it is getting bigger.
• Governments need to invest more, so that people know when extreme weather will hit and that they will have a safe place to go to when it does.
• Technical solutions are not enough on their own.
• Climate change is scary, but we are not powerless against it.