Flash Floods

The northeastern parts of Bangladesh—mostly Sunamganj, Kishorganj, Netrokona, Sylhet, Habiganj and Maulvibazar—are prone to flash floods during the months of April to November and these areas are covered by many haors, where water remains stagnant [106]. Farmers of these districts produced *boro* rice in almost 80% of their land, while only approximately 10% of the area is covered by transplanted *aman* production [107]. In 2017, flash floods affected these areas and damaged almost 90% (maximum) of *boro* rice [108]. According to this scenario, we assumed that if in the future this extreme event occurs in haor areas, *boro* rice yields will be reduced by a maximum of 90% of the sample households. We applied log-normal distribution to project the poverty rate due to income reduction by yield loss due to the effects of flash floods on *boro* rice yields by a maximum of 90%.

Table 15 shows the results of the poverty rate after incomes changed due to assumed yield loss of *boro* rice in flash flood regions in Bangladesh, while Kishorganj district is most vulnerable to poverty (19.214% increase) if flash floods occur (Figure 15). The projected results are treated as flash flood to be changed the poverty in northern-eastern parts of Bangladesh and this region are vulnerable on flash flood. Therefore, ex-ante coping strategies are important to the damages of flash flood.

**Table 15.** Poverty rate in flash flood region in Bangladesh.


HB = Habiganj, KI = Kishorganj, MV = Maulvibazar, NT = Netrokona SU = Sunamganj, SY = Sylhet and TH = Total Haor.

**Figure 15.** Changing poverty rate caused by flash floods in northeastern regions.
