A comparative Study of flood in the lower basin of Damodar river. And also a comparative study of disaster and hazard in the introduction portion.

1. ALIGARHMUSLIMUNIVERSITY
ALIGARH-202002
FLOOD IN LOWER BASIN OF DAMODAR RIVER- A
CASE STUDY
PRESENTED BY- SK SAMIM ALI
ENROLLMENT NO.- GM3337
FACULTY ROLL NO.- 20GGB-239
DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY

2. TABLEOF CONTENTS
 DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAZARD AND DISASTER
 TYPES OF DISASTER
 FLOOD: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
 CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF FLOOD
 MAJOR FLOOD PRONE REGIONS OF INDIA
 INTRODUCTION
 OBJECTIVES
 DATABASE AND METHODOLOGY
 THE HISTORY OF BENGAL FLOOD CAUSED BY RIVER
DAMODAR
 CAUSES OF THE FLOOD
 FLOOD PRONE AREAS OF RIVER DAMODAR IN ITS LOWER
BASIN(WEST BENGAL)
 CASE STUDY OF SOME ACUTE FLOOD IN RECENT TIME
 MEASURES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT OF WEST BENGAL
 CONCLUSION AND SUGGESTION
 REFERENCE

3. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DISASTER AND
HAZARD
DEFINITION OF HAZARDS
 A dangerous conditions or events that threaten or have the potential for causing injury to life
or damage to property or the environment.
DEFINITION OF DISASTER
 A serious disruption of the functioning of a society, causing widespread human, material, or
environmental losses which exceed the ability of the affected society to cope using its own
resources.
 The difference between hazard and disaster is that hazard is a dangerous situation or
event that poses a threat to humans while disaster is an event that actually harms human’s life,
property and thus disrupts social activities.

4. TYPES OF DISASTER
President
NATURAL TYPES OF DISASTERS
a) Tsunami
b) Drought and water shortage
c) Earthquakes
d) Cyclones
e) Extreme heat
f) Floods and flash floods
MAN-MADE TYPES OF DISASTERS
a) Nuclear blast
b) Radiological emergencies
c) Chemical threat
d) Biological weapons
e) Cyber attacks
f) Explosion
Disasters can take many different
forms, and the duration can range
from an hourly disruption to days or
weeks of ongoing destruction.
Below is a list of the disasters can
be both natural and man-made or
technological in nature – that can
impact a community.

5. FLOOD: A COMPARATIVE STUDY
• An overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limit. A
flood is an overflow of water (or rarely other fluids) that submerges
land that is usually dry.
• Human changes to the environment often increase the intensity and
frequency of flooding, for example land use changes such as
deforestation and removal of wetlands.
• Flooding may occur as an overflow of water from water bodies,
such as a river or it may occur due to an accumulation of rainwater
on saturated ground in an areal flood.

6. TYPES OF FLOOD
RIVER FLOODS
These are characterized by
gradual riverbank overflows
caused by extensive rainfall
over an extended period of
time.
URBAN FLOODS
This occurs when the drainage
system in a city or town fails to
absorb the water from heavy
rain. The lack of natural
drainage in an urban area can
also contribute to flooding.
PLUVIAL FLOODS
These types of floods can be
seen in flat areas where the
terrain can’t absorb the
rainwater, causing puddles and
ponds to appear.
FLASH FLOODS
This is fast-moving waters that
sweep everything in their path.
They are caused by heavy rainfall
or rapid snow thaw.

7. CAUSES ANDCONSEQUENCES OF FLOOD
CAUSES OF FLOOD
 To most of the flooding cases, the rain is the
leading contributor. And too much rain causes
the water to flow overland contributing to
flooding.
 Rivers or Streams overflowing is also one of the
causes of flooding and in this the river can
overflow their bank and it flows downstream to
the neighboring low-lying lands which may result
in the flooding.
 Dams with overwhelming carriage capacity can
cause flood. The walls can become weak and
break and in the adjacent areas breaking of the
dam can cause heavy and sudden flooding.
 When snowmelt or rainfall runoff cannot be
channeled properly in the drainage systems
which forces the water to flow over the land can
result in flooding.
 During the winter season ice and snow build up
in the cold regions and when the temperature
rises in summer ice and snow starts melting
which transfers the water to the drylands which
may cause floods.
CONSEQUENCES OF FLOOD
 The most immediate effect of a flood is the
catastrophic loss of life and destruction of buildings
and other structures like bridges, sewerage systems,
canals etc.
 Floods also damage power transmission.
 Lack of clean water combined with human sewage in
the flood waters raises the risk of waterborne
diseases, which can include typhoid, cholera, etc.
 Flood waters typically inundate farm land, making the
land unworkable and preventing crops from being
planted or harvested.
 Entire harvests for a country can be lost in extreme
flood circumstances which can lead to shortages of
food both for humans and farm animals.
 Economic hardship due to a temporary decline in
tourism, rebuilding costs, or food shortages leading to
price increases is a common after-effect of severe
flooding.

8. MAJOR FLOOD PRONE
REGIONS OF INDIA
STATE MILLION HECTARE
UTTAR PRADESH 7.34
BIHAR 4.26
PUNJAB 3.70
RAJASTHAN 3.26
ASSAM 3.15
WEST BENGAL 2.65
HARYANA 2.35
ODISHA 1.40
ANDHRA PRADESH 1.39
GUJRAT 1.39
KERELA 0.87
MAJOR FLOOD PRONE REGIONS OF INDIA

9. Source: mapsofindia.Com

10. INTRODUCTION
 Damodar is a rain fed, shallow, wide and flashy river, originating near the Khamarpat
Hill on Chotanagpur Plateau in the Palamau district of Jharkhand.
 Damodar River flows through the industrial towns of Chandrapura, Ramgarh, Bokaro,
Jharia, Sindri, Dhanbad, Asansol, Andal, Durgapur, Burdwan, and Howrah before
joining the lower Ganga at Shayampur.
 Damodar valley acquires more than 90% of the Gondwana coal field.
 Damodar River is known as the “River of Sorrows “as it used to flood many areas of
Bardhaman, Hooghly, Howrah and Medinipur districts.
 The Damodar and its tributaries have been somewhat tamed with the construction of
several dams.
 It is the most polluted river of India. So, it is known as “BIOLOGICAL DESERT OF
INDIA”
Source: research gate journal by Kumkum bhattacharya.

11. STUDY AREA
 The catchment area of Damodar River basin extends
from 22° 45′N to 24° 30′N and 84° 45′E to 88° 00′E
and is covering parts of Jharkhand and West Bengal
which is about 11.8 and 8.6% of the total geographical
areas of these two states, respectively.
 River Damodar Covers Burdwan, Hooghly, Howrah,
Bankura and Purulia districts in West Bengal.
Source: Slide Share

12. OBJECTIVES
The main objectives of the Damodar flood study in areas of West Bengal are
to develop better understanding of flood risk;
Assess the extent of the existing flood risk and; develop, appraise and
recommend options to manage flood risk.
The options may include a range of structural and non-structural options, for
example flood protection schemes, natural flood management, awareness
raising and property level protection.
Create, update or develop new/existing flood model information.

13. DATABASE AND METHODOLOGY

14. THE HISTORY OF BENGAL FLOOD CAUSED BY RIVER
DAMODAR
 The Damodar Valley is one of the most flood prone areas in West Bengal.
 The flood history of Damodar River is well known in West Bengal, as well as
in India, because this River is notified as ‘Sorrow of Bengal’ due to havoc
destruction of annual floods, particularly in the lower reach.
 History of ruinous floods is more than 356 years old (1665-2021), though
the written documentation of flood damages had been found from 1730.
 W. W. Hunter (1876) described the floods of Damodar as a gigantic head
wave of great breadth and sometimes rising up to 1.5 metre in height,
locally known as Harpaban.
 Damodar were accompanied by dramatic shifts it the river’s course which
from 1550 to 1800, have been recorded from old maps of Bengal.
 Severe floods occurred in the lower Damodar basin in 1823, 1848, 1856,
1859, 1863, 1882, 1890, 1894, 1901, 1905, 1907, 1913,1916,1923,1935 and
1943. This is why the Damodar River was called the ‘Sorrow of Bengal.
Source: Journal of sandrp.in

15. CAUSES OF THE FLOOD
 Dr. Meghnad Saha, denoted the maldistribution of resources as the ultimate
‘source of trouble’.
 According to K. N. Bagchi (1977) the deep depressional rainfall in the
Chotanagpur Plateau of upper catchment is responsible for flood in the lower
catchment of river Damodar.
 The change in river geometry i.e, The funnel-shaped basin, with a wide
Upper Catchment and a narrow Lower Catchment is another cause of flood
in the lower basin of Damodar.
 This amount of runoff is not controlled by D.V.C. storage system and is finally
released by Durgapur Barrage into main River and canals. So, there are
ample chances of peak flood flow in Barddhaman Plains, formed by
Damodar River System.
 The Hooghly being a tidal river allows only intermittent release of water into
the Bay of Bengal each day. Though the lock gates are formed at, at the time
of flood it does not able to release excess water to Hooghly due to tidal
activity. So low lying areas (10-15 metre above mean sea level) of adjoining
lower Damodar is completely flooded for a number of days in every year, for
example Khanakul Block of Hooghly District.
Source: Slide Share

16. FLOOD PRONE AREAS OF RIVER DAMODAR
IN ITS LOWER BASIN(WEST BENGAL)
It is Lying in between 87 degrees 45 minutes and 88 degrees 15 minutes east
and 22 degrees 15 minutes and 23 Degrees 10 minutes north.
It not only includes the Lower Damodar Basin area but also is extended to
Incorporate the areas of all the police stations through which the river with all
its distributaries have flown.
The available statistical data covering all aspects are on the basis of the
smallest administrative units (the Block / police station), and as such the study
area covers 3393.27 sq. km.
There are 243 villages (mouzas) in 19 police stations of the 3 districts, namely
Bardhaman, Hugli and Haora of West Bengal.
And few districts of Birbhum, Purulia and Bankura.
The area Is bounded by the catchments of the Dwarakeswar – Rupnarayan
Rivers in the west, the Saraswati – Hugli Riverine system in the east and the
Banka River in the north.
Source: Research Gate

17. CASE STUDY OF SOME ACUTE FLOOD IN
RECENT TIME

18. A total of 95,000
cusecs of water was
released from the
two dams of DVC
and heavy rainfall is
the ultimate cause
for flooding in the
lower basin of
Damodar.
Affected about 1.06
crore people in 222
blocks of 13 districts
of South-west
Bengal.
In 2015, Cyclone
Komen in West
Bengal caused
heavy rains and
severe floods.

20. MEASURES TAKEN BY GOVERNMENT
OF WEST BENGAL
 The government increased network of drainage canals and silted drainage dredged to
augment channel capacity and allow free flow of excess water through those
channels.
 The Government built more dykes to prevent flood water from entering low-lying
areas and asked the officials to strengthened the existing dykes to prevent their
breaching.
 The candidate evacuated the human habitation from flood-prone areas.
 The Government asked the officials of DVC to provide Adequate discharge channels
in the lower Damodar basin; this area is suffering from flood due to inadequate
discharge channels.
 The Government also asked the officials to increase capacity of the Mayurakshi river
so that water of Damodar river can be discharged to the Mayurakshi.
 Pumps of adequate capacity is given by the government to the panchayat and
Municipal Corporation on stand-by to pump out water particularly from low areas.

21. CONCLUSION
 Conclusion Floods in the lower Damodar Basin have been almost an annual occurrence in the
consequence of high discharge. Damodar is a well-known famous river in South Bengal due to its
devastating flood.
 DVC was built to control the flood in this areas.
 Now, in present day’s different discipline follow different approach for flood maintenance, we
should follow the eco-centric approach in the flood management of Damodar.
 Flood control is not possible completely. Therefore, we need to reduce the „Intensity of flood‟ by
modifying the channel carrying capacity, flood forecasting, flood warning, flood insurance, general
information, education and flood relief.
 To decrease the flood risk, we need to reduce the surface runoff by increasing infiltration through
appropriate afforestation in the catchment area, limiting discharge by developing detention basin
and reservoir by contracting a series of check dams.

22. SUGGESTIONS
A better flood
forecast
measures.
Planned
settlement.
River water
management.
Quick disaster
response.
To follow eco
centric
method.
Clearing of the
silt from the
river basin.
This following measures can significantly mitigate floods and also minimize the destruction caused
by them.

23. REFERENCE
• Bagchi, K.N. (1977): The Damodar Valley development and its impact on the region. In Allen G. Noble and Ashok Rudra (eds) Indian Urbanization
and Planning: Vehicles of Modernization, New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill Publishing Co. Ltd
• Bhattacharya, K. (1959): Bangladesher Nad Nadi o Parikalpana. Calcutta: Bidyadoya Library Ltd.
• Bhattacharyya, K. (2011): The Lower Damodar River, India: Understanding the Human Role in Changing Fluvial Environment. New York: Springer
• Kumkum Bhattacharya, The lower Damodar River, India Sayantoni Datta ,Damudar Sacred WaterNarratives on Environmental Loss and Conflict in
the Upper and Middle Damodar River Basin
• https://www.telegraphindia.com/topic/damodar-valley-corporation-dvc
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damodar_River#:~:text=Many%20of%20the%20great%20floods,of%20Bardhaman%20town%20was%20flooded.
• Baker VR, Kochel RC and Patton PC (1988). Flood Geomorphology, U.S.A.: AWiley-Interscience Publication (John Wiley & Sons). Bertoldi W
(2004). River Bifurcations, Italy: Universita Deglia Studi Di Torento.
• Bhattacharyya K (2011). The Lower Damodar River, India (Springer).
• Bhattacharya AK and Dhar N (2005). A Report Geo-Environmental Appraisal in Bardhaman Urban Agglomeration Area and Its Environment for
Sustainable Developmental Activities. Kolkata: Geological Survey of India, Eastern Region

24. THANK YOU