Flood
Flood is one of the most dangerous natural disasters. It happens when excessive water is collected in any area. It happens due to heavy showers of rainfall. Pakistan is highly prone to flood. Many regions in the country face this natural disaster because of the overflowing of rivers. Moreover, it also happens because of the melting of snow. Another reason for floods is when the dam breaks down. If we look at the coastal areas, hurricanes and tsunamis are held responsible for causing floods. In this article on the flood, we will see the prevention and effect of floods.
Whatever the cause may be, it is equally dangerous. It has a lot of harmful consequences. The flood damages the living conditions, and it takes a lot of time to recover from this disaster. Therefore, the consequences of floods must be known, and steps must be taken to prevent them.
Floods interrupt the day-to-day functioning of the affected area. Severe floods sometimes cause a lot of people and animals to lose their lives due to floods. Others are injured. Floods also bring a rise in diseases. The stagnant water attracts mosquitoes causing, dengue, and more illnesses.
Furthermore, people face power cuts due to the danger of electrocution. They also have to face expensive pricing. As the supply of food and goods gets limited, the prices naturally grow higher. This creates a big problem for the common man.
The whole country faces economic loss. The citizens lose their houses and cars which they worked all their lives for.
Subsequently, floods also affect the environment. It causes soil erosion, and this degrades the quality of the soil. We lose out on fertile soil. Similarly, they damage crops and displace trees. Thus, measures should be taken to avoid these grave consequences.
The government and citizens must work together to formulate ways to prevent floods. Proper awareness must be spread about the steps to take when floods occur. Warning systems must be set up, so people get sufficient time to save themselves. In addition, areas that are more likely to have floods must have tall buildings above the flood level.
There should be an efficient system for storing excessive water due to rain. This will prevent the overflowing of water. One of the most important steps is to strengthen the drainage system. This can avoid water logging which will prevent floods.
We cannot prevent natural causes like rain and the melting of glaciers. However, we can stop manmade causes like the breaking of dams, poor drainage systems, installing warning systems, and more. We should take inspiration from countries like Singapore that never experience floods despite having heavy rainfall for most time of the year.
Grade: IGCSE-III
RMS Notting Hill Campus