Mankind to blame for severe flooding
Two-thirds of our planet's surface is covered with water in motion.
The extremes that cause flooding are part of the water cycle, and we can expect more severe floods and droughts as the global hydrological system speeds up. There is nearly 20 per cent more freshwater drainage flowing into the world’s oceans than there was a decade ago, a sign of warming climate change and a harbinger of more devastating future flooding. If forest cover is lost, runoff flows into streams, elevating river levels and subjecting downstream villages, cities and agricultural fields to flooding, especially during the rainy season, since many natural water reservoirs have been converted by short-sighted officials into road construction, residential areas and industrial zones.
Human activity influences the frequency and severity of floods. Understanding the way humans habitually mistreat the environment focuses on urban versus rural considerations. City dwellers want to protect the commercial centre and economic heartland whereas farmers want to protect fields that represent their lifeline. Resolving the precarious relationship between humankind and nature is a rational precondition for adapting to sustainable development. For starters, cooperative integration of flood management with water resources management is essential, incorporating forecasting and warning systems as well as preventative planning measures for damage and risk reduction. All levels of government, public and private sectors and concerned citizens should work together to share responsibility by developing a long-term strategy to deal with the acute problems of drainage, sanitation and public health.
Chanchai Prasertson
Bangkok
