Cross-border approach to flood management

South Asia is one of the most flood-prone and densely populated geographical regions in the world.  The Asian monsoons may be classified into a few sub-systems, such as the South Asian Monsoon which affects the Indian subcontinent and surrounding regions, and the East Asian Monsoon which affects southern China, Korea and parts of Japan.
The south-western summer monsoon occurs from June through September. The Bay of Bengal branch of the southwest monsoon flows over the Bay heading towards northeast India and Bengal, picking up more moisture from the sea. The winds arrive at the eastern Himalayas with large amounts of rain. Bangladesh and certain regions of India like Assam and West Bengal, also frequently experience heavy floods during this season.
Floods are an annual phenomenon in South Asia with the most severe one occurring during the months of July and September. Though ecologically diverse, most of the countries in South Asia share a common eco-hydrology and a common disaster - floods. These countries are drained by a huge network of rivers along with their tributaries. Given the hydrology, climatic factors and the geology, South Asia is naturally prone to floods.
Rain is good and floods are natural events occurring in many parts of the planet coming each year to fertilise the plains. So when is it considered as a disaster? What are the factors increasing the risks of a flood disaster to happen? The risk is often defined by the combination of the 'hazard' with 'exposure' and 'vulnerability'. For example, a population could be at risk of floods with their increased exposure to the hazard of floods by constructing houses too close to the river bed, and by increasing their vulnerability by having all their agriculture lands and only livelihood there.
Floods, both natural and human-made, in the region, stretch across the boundaries. The natural causes are heavy rainfall, snowmelt, coastal flooding caused mainly by storms and tsunamis, outburst floods and catchment area characteristics.
The human causes of floods are deforestation, poor farming practices such as overgrazing and over cultivation (Some farming practices can damage the vegetation cover, so the soil will be washed into the river easily), poor hydraulic infrastructures management and population pressure on natural resources.
Some 540 million poor and disadvantaged people live in South Asia. Almost on an annual basis, floods in this region cause great devastation, affecting the most impoverished who live on the fringes. The poor always suffer to cope and overcome the losses incurred.
However, these countries have developed capacities in flood management and demonstrated some success in this regard. But there are still gaps, limitations and challenges to overcome. A cross-border approach to flood management based on existing limitations and gaps instead of interventions based on political boundaries is very much needed to protect the development gains and most vulnerable communities of the region.
Big river systems like the Ganges and the Brahmaputra do not recognise political borders as they flow across Nepal, India and Bangladesh. The combined catchment basin of the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, and the Meghna cover 1,758,000 square kilometres, which is more than 12 times the size of Bangladesh. Under average conditions, from June to September, 775 billion cubic metres of water flow into Bangladesh through the main rivers. Many of the floods of the region have trans-boundary dimensions and effect.
So, for an effective flood risk management, it is very important to develop cross-border approach and strategy. Such a strategy includes regional information database, early warning system, appropriate technology developed and made available. Cost-effective and smart structural and nonstructural measures have to be combined. Existing knowledge and tested practices of the vulnerable communities of the region have to be taken into consideration.
Integrating disaster risk reduction into the project/programme cycle management of developmental plans, programmes and humanitarian responses is a must for long-term flood-risk resilience in the risk-prone areas.
 The structural flood management system in the region in many cases has been designed long before. The infrastructure and plans should be reviewed on regular basis and should be designed considering future risks and vulnerabilities. The existing plans should be upgraded to withstand flood risks and environmental aspects. It should consider the social and economic aspects of people living in both the upstream and the river basins. It would further support people to live with and adapt to riverine culture and environment.
It would also be a smart step to promote more durable and flood-resistant livelihood opportunities in most vulnerable communities of the river basin areas. Protecting lives, livelihoods and assets of the people is the constitutional obligation of the governments of the South Asian countries. In this regard, a people-centred pressure from the conscious citizen groups across South Asia will be worth making governments accountable to masses in making their lives less risky and more secure.
There are political complexities in any cross-border approach which needs continuous political, economic and administrative commitment across the countries. Such an approach is needed to improve people's livelihoods, capacity, and resilience for facing/avoiding next floods and reduce the poverty of the region. The success to reduce flood risks and negative consequences of floods could be politically comforting to the position of any politician or any political authority in any country of the region.
The writer a Senior Programme Officer, Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), Embassy of Switzerland , Bangladesh.
 farid.hasan2008@gmail.com