Community: An Asset to reduce landslide risk Prepared by: Azra Jawaid Jafreen Alamgir
Map of Bangladesh Map of Bangladesh. Google Images. Web. 25 Sep. 2014
Chittagong at a view Situated at the bank of river Karnafulli. 5 million population (Golam). An important business hub of Bangladesh. Half area is plain land and other half area is hillock.
Landslides Downward movement of earth or rock on unstable slopes Landslide. Google images. Web. 26 Sep. 2014
Factors that trigger landslides Heavy rainfall during shorter period of time Unsustainable hill cutting Heavy rainfall. Google images. Web. 02 Oct. 2014 Hill cutting. Google images. Web. 02 Oct. 2014
Slope Instability Deforestation Slope instability. Google images. Web. 02 Oct. 2014 Deforestation. Google images. Web. 02 Oct. 2014
Tidal flow. Google images. Web. 02 Oct. 2014 Earthquakes. Google images. Web. 02 Oct. 2014 Abnormal tidal flow Earthquakes
Wreckage caused by landslide Landslide. Google images. Web. 27 Sep. 2014
Chittagong: Vulnerable to landslides One-third of total area is low elevated land which experience abnormal tidal flow. Heavy rainfall between July- September. Informal settlement (Slums).
Slope instability due to indiscriminate hill cutting. Very high susceptibility of soil erosion in Chittagong hill tracts (Rahman 38-39).
Substantial losses in recent landslides 11 June 2008 Affected areas: Motijharna of Lalkhan Bazaar, Khushumbagh area, Shaheed Minar area. Almost 1.5 million people were affected. Death tolled to 135. Submerged 500 buildings in Agrabad commercial area(golam).
18 August 2008 Affected areas: Motijharna of Lalkhan Bazaar, Bhaditala under Cox s Bazar. Rain induced landslide (Golam).
Chittagong hill tract communities Approximate population according to 1991 consensus: 501,114. Hill districts are: Rangamati, Khagrachari, Bandarban. Mostly followed religion: Buddhism, Hinduism. Chittagong Hill Tracts. Google Images. Web. 25 Sep. 2014
Minor ethnic group of Bangladesh. Consists of lower income group and informal settlers (Rahman 68). Denied basic rights and entitlements as they are treated as Illegals (Rahman 68). Worst affected community by landslides.
Here stands preparedness!! Absence of early warning system from Bangladesh Meteorological Department. No preparation from National level and the local level for emergency recovery. Exclusion of landslide issues at National level.
No cooperation from Chittagong City Corporation. Conflict of hill ownership. Almost negligible awareness about do s and dont s at the time of landslides (Golam).
Must to do things to prepare for landslides Don t build your dream house in landslide prone area. Contact local officials, University department of Geology to get information on landslides in the particular area. Learn about emergency response and evacuation plans of the area.
There must be a risk zone mapping for Chittagong division. Must develop an early warning system.
Who will think of them??? The landslide can never be prevented but the substantial losses can be minimised. If the mainstream community of Bangladesh would connect themselves to the despair and sorrows of the hill-tract communities and see those as an integral part, the effectiveness of the community responses can be improved. This can lead to formation of preparedness plans with sharper and focused effectiveness.
Come forward and help You may be the reason of someone s smile. A girl from Chittagong hill tract community Hill tract community of Chittagong. Google images. Web. 26 Sep. 2014.
Works cited Landslide Preparedness. U. S. Geological Survey. Web. 27 Sep. 2014 Rahman, Tanvia. Landslide Risk Reduction of the Informal Foothill Settlements of Chittagong City through Strategic Design Measure. BRAC University. 2012. Web. 27 Sep. 2014. Sarwar, Golam. Landslide Tragedy of Bangladesh. The First World Landslide Forum, 18-21 November 2008, United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan. 2008. Web. 27 Sep. 2014.