Learning from floods, difficult but valuable lessons for all of us
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The large number of flood victims being electrocuted has sparked alarm. Lecturers and students at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Lat Krabang reacted nicely to that. With some electric parts, a floating duck was turned to a device to check any tra
If the flood disaster has any benefit, it is another chapter of endless learning for all. It starts with one of the most popular phrases: “Living with floods”.
An aunty in Maha Sarakham echoed our belief that learning is not limited to classrooms, university academics or what villagers with an elementary education can learn.
The aunty lives near a khlong, part of the floodway in the Northeast. During and after the raining season each year, the khlong is full with rain water and water released from Ubonrat Dam in Khon Kaen. The level depends on the annual rains. This year, it was at the most shocking level, she said. Yet, as seen through a TV programme, she was comfortable.
She said that as floods at this level become more frequent, the locals in her village had decided that from next year, they would stop growing a main rice crop which normally must be harvested in November. Floods would prevent the harvest and damage the rice fields. From next year, they would rely on the second crop and ensure that harvest is completed before the arrival of water in September. Then, in the flooding months, they would become fishermen. Fish and other edible animals were everywhere, enough for their families and for sale. Fermented fish, in particular, could be stocked up for sale next year.
Some villagers in Phichit, one of the provinces in the Central region, have also turned to fishermen during the raining season. They stock up food, enough to trade for rice with people in the Northeast. Only when the water is gone will they return to rice fields.
Sadly, most villagers in other parts of the floodprone region have failed to adjust to the changing weather conditions. They still want to grow rice 34 times a year, and they stand to suffer the most when rainfall exceeds comfortable levels.
Remarkably, businessmen and laymen in Samut Sakhon’s Muang district joined hands to create a manmade floodway, to take Nong Nam (our dear sister water) “home”. Proficient in steel machinery, a company involved learnt from villagers that without a floodway, water would remain in the district for a long time and affect businesses and villagers. They helped design an artificial water channel. As water slowly flowed to the district, they designed a machine to put water into the channel.
Coming with the flood, we have seen innovation and adaptation. It would be unfortunate if we think that the disaster won’t recur – and all these brilliant ideas are lost forever.
Teachers are at the core to collect the knowledge and pass it to students. The safety duck could be a cheap innovation from university students, but it could also be an interesting subject in a class, particularly in villages where some got electrocuted.
To promote knowledge, this subject should also be taught to our kids in other parts of the country unaffected by the floods as electrocution could happen anywhere, anytime. Other types of devices may be needed, depending on different living conditions.
The waterpulling device could also be applied to improve the irrigation systems in dry areas.
Or let’s teach students to make an EM (effective microorganism) ball and show them how waste leaves can neutralise polluted water.
Living with a flood can be difficult and painful. But we also learn that a comfortable way of life helps nobody and that people can be more than innovative at times of hardship.
Chularat Saengpassa
