Multi-Hazard Vulnerability Assessment and its Impacts on Kishoreganj District
Asma Akther Popy ¹*, Zereen Saba ² , Mizanur Rahman ³, Khaled Md. Mehzabin Alam Prottoy ⁴, Masrur Abdul Quader ⁵, Tabassum Afsara Islam ⁶
¹ Research Associate-GIS specialist, Center for People & Environ (CPE)
² Junior Specialist, Meteorology, BRAC
³ Research Officer, Center for People & Environ (CPE)
⁴ Research Assistant, Center for People & Environ (CPE)
⁵ Research Fellow, Policy Research and Advocacy, Programme Policy campaign, ActionAid Bangladesh
⁶ Postgraduate Student, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia
*Corresponding Author:popydugeo61@gmail.com
Abstract
This multi-hazard vulnerability assessment aims to comprehensively evaluate the susceptibility and potential impacts of various hazards in the Kishoreganj district, Bangladesh. The evaluation considered a range of hazards including heavy rainfall, floods, flash floods, erosion of riverbanks, heat waves, cold waves, and thunderstorms, and examines how they interact and composite to affect the district’s social, economic, and livelihood aspects. This evaluation, which takes a multidisciplinary approach, uses geospatial analysis, sustainable livelihoods assessment qualitative or quantitative data collection, and community viewpoints to comprehend the vulnerabilities in the district. The findings show that most of the Unions of Itna and Mithamoin area are vulnerable to various dangers due to their geographical location, topography, and socio-economic variables. The disaster frequency is gradually increasing. Riverine and flash floods inundate extensive agricultural lands regularly, disrupting livelihoods and increasing food insecurity. Riverbank erosion, hailstorms, increasing trend heat waves, and cold waves endanger settlements, resulting in population displacement. Moreover, these risks not only have an impact on livelihoods but can worsen disease and reduce the availability of drinking water. The assessment also highlights how vulnerable populations, including women, children, and members of disadvantaged communities, are disproportionately affected by hazards. It emphasizes the need for inclusive and targeted interventions to address their specific vulnerabilities and boost resilience.
Introduction
Bangladesh’s geographic and geophysical location makes it one of the most vulnerable countries affected by climate change. South Asia’s climate is changing, and the impacts are already being felt. (IPCC, 2022). Based on data from 2000 to 2019, the Climate Risk Index (GCRI) reports that Bangladesh lost 11,450 people, suffered economic losses worth $3.72 billion, and witnessed 185 extreme weather events from 2000-2019 due to climate change (GCRI, 2021). The country is experiencing the effects of climate change through a variety of disasters, including frequent floods, cyclones (including frequency, intensity, and seasonality) thunderstorms, torrential rain, salinity intrusion, rising temperature, erratic precipitation, sea level rise (Sattar et al., 2020). This Haor region is also a very endangered area with diversified problems shortage of food, and damage due to floods, erosion, excess rain, and loss of land (Islam et al., 2020). In the Kishoreganj haor region, natural disasters have increased due to climate change such as flash floods, soil erosion, heavy rainfall, drought, storm surges, etc. Large, spherical floodplain depressions known as haor areas frequently experience floods because of extreme events like heavy upstream rainfall. Because of changes in rainfall and temperature patterns, regions are anticipated to undergo more stress increases in the years to come. (Nowreen et al., 2014). Pre-monsoon flooding in April and May raises the risks within the region’s economic, social, and environmental sectors and results in the loss of crops during the entire year (Suman & Bhattacharya, 2015). The main objective of this study is to explore hazard multi-hazard vulnerability and the impact of climate change on the livelihoods of the communities in Itna and Mithamain Upazila.