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Flooding & Coastal Erosion

Flooding is a frequent phenomenon in many parts of the world. When excess water surpasses its usual limit of confinement, it is known as a flood. Flooding can happen after a heavy rainfall during rainy seasons, cyclones or hurricanes, tsunamis, rapid melting of ice or snow and bursting of dams. People living along the coastal regions or river banks are at direct risk of increased possibilities of flooding. It is estimated that over five million people live or work on properties that are at risk of flooding from rivers or the sea.

  1. Coastal Erosions

    • Flooding causes erosion of the coastal bed, which usually confines the water. Coastal erosion can occur as a result of tidal currents, wave action, rain events, wave currents, high winds and drainage. Loss of solid rocks and sediments that constitute the coastal area are the biggest contributors to coastal erosion. Weak sea coasts cannot alleviate the rising sea water, resulting in easy and frequent flooding of nearby areas.

    Impacts of Flooding and Coastal Erosion

    • Some common problems created by coastal erosion and flooding include:

      (a) Chronic loss of land along with the destruction of coastal sediments that have cohesive action in preventing floods.

      (b) Lands and facilities may have to bear the impact of coastal erosion.

      (c) Localized coastal erosion may have impact on nearby construction activity.

      (d) Even storms of lesser intensity may result in flooding and damage to nearby property due to the impact of waves created by these storms.

      (e) Coastal erosion and flooding can result in loss of environmental resources such as fertile land, oyster beds and nesting areas adjacent to coastal areas.

      (f) The effect of coastal erosion and flooding may create a scarcity of land for development and recreation.

    Control Measures

    • Strategies have to be devised to lessen the impact of flooding and coastal erosion along the seashores. Governments and environmental protection agencies in many parts of the world are taking measures to reduce as much damage as possible due to these unfortunate natural events.

    Engineering Measures

    • Construction of seawalls or barriers using concrete, large rocks or by simply piling sandbags are some of the measures that have been tried to confine flooding. Buildings adjacent to coastal regions must follow a uniform code for construction planning, keeping in mind flood situations. It may help in constructing buildings that will be able to handle the impacts caused by flooding. If there is excessive risk of frequent floods in an area, regulations may be implemented to ban any type of construction so that people do not dwell in these areas and there is no loss of life.

    Other Methods

    • Excess water in the main river can be drained off into by-passes and diversion channels. Streams and rivers can also be diverted to avoid densely populated areas. Regulation of flood plain development and urbanization may reduce flooding frequency. Soil erosion control also helps prevent flooding.

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