Dhaka’s potential cumulative damage from intense rainfalls would stand at Tk 11,000 crore in the next 35 years, a World Bank study estimates.
This damage will be caused by waterlogging and urban flooding, and does not include the impact of climate change. In a changing climate scenario with more intense rain, the estimated loss would be Tk 13,900 crore in the 2014-2050 period.
However, an investment of just Tk 270 crore to improve the city’s drainage system can reduce the damage by a third, or to only Tk 3,700 crore.
Findings of the study — Climate and Disaster Resilience of Greater Dhaka Area: A Micro Level Analysis — were presented at the World Bank Dhaka office yesterday.
The study says Dhaka will have to invest in stormwater drainage pumps and other measures to reduce waterlogging in every ward within 12 hours. This has to be done in addition to the improvements in the drainage infrastructure proposed in the Detailed Area Plan and Sewerage Master Plan.
Floods and waterlogging in Dhaka regularly disrupts the lives and livelihoods of the city dwellers. The most affected are those living in the fringe areas and slums, the study shows.
And with more frequent and intense rainfalls, climate change is likely to further aggravate flooding and waterlogging in the coming years and decades.
“A mega city like Dhaka needs smart investments to meet the demands of a growing population and rapid urbanisation in a changing climate,” said Christine Kimes, acting country chief of the WB.
The entire Dhaka city faced a great urban flooding in 2004 with just 341 millimeter rain in 24 hours, which exposed how poorly managed the city’s drainage system is.
The climate change is likely to cause more of such heavy rains in the coming decades, speakers said, adding that the government should take steps to increase the city’s resilience.
In a changing climate scenario, the investment of Tk 270 crore would reduce the accumulated damage cost to Tk 4,900 crore for the period of 2014-2050, said Susmita Dasgupata, the lead environmental economist of the WB and coauthor of the study.
Annisul Huq, mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) who spoke as the chief guest, said, “Already we have taken some measures to reduce traffic jams in the Dhaka city. We are going to recover all the grabbed canals. And it is going to happen.”
Later, asked when the DNCC would recover the canals, he said the grabbers were powerful people and there were many cases against canal grabbers pending at the court. “So it is hard to say exactly when the canals will be recovered.”
As different parts of Dhaka and its surrounding areas vary significantly in terms of infrastructure, facilities and resilience to flood and waterlogging, the study assessed Dhaka’s local preparedness for urban flood emergencies at ward level, measuring Climate Disaster Resilience Index (CDRI).
The study found that already some parts of the city is severely vulnerable to waterlogging and floods. At least 10 wards of Dhaka city out of 93 are extremely exposed to flood and waterlogging. The wards are 9, 10, 25, 40, 58, 82, 86, 87 and 90. Khilgaon area, which is outside the DND, is also exposed.
Source: The Daily Star
