The Brahmaputra river has flooded the Assam regions every year since time immemorial. It flows from Tibet through the Himalayas and the Tibetan plateau before it enters India. Then it flows across the north-east and eastern regions of India and continues further. The river is the largest in this area and the second largest river in India having a length of 2391 miles. The Brahmaputra River is also the most important hydro-electric powerhouse in India.
The main cause of annual flooding across the bank of the river is heavy rainfall which causes the river to overflow its banks. The Brahmaputra river remains in its natural state for most of its length until it enters India. The river begins to widen before entering India. The river has many tributaries. The India-China border is located on the southern bank of the river.
In the past decade, the Brahmaputra River has become a major problem for India and particularly Assam. Floods occur every year and many of the people living near the river have been displaced due to this issue. One of the reason of annual flood is because of the weather patterns that come from north east. When floods happen, the water enters people's homes and destroys their livelihoods. People are unable to eat because food becomes expensive due to scarcity.
Every year, when the Brahmaputra river in Assam breaks its banks and floods villages and towns, the disaster is sometimes blamed on climate change. When studied in depth through news reports, it becomes evident that this flooding cannot be attributed solely to climate change. Flooding in Assam is part of a natural cycle that has been happening for centuries and has happened before during periods of drought and rainfall as well. The river carries large amounts of water which is collected by tributaries all over the Himalayas and Upper Sutlej. Long-term predictions of rainfall can help to avoid future floods along the Brahmaputra River that have caused so much devastation in recent years.
Flooding of Brahmaputra river in Assam raise an important question of whether there is a way to stop annual flooding. The floods wreak havoc every year and it's difficult for the people living near rivers of Assam to escape from the devastation of annual floods. The waters rise with force and there is no choice but to wait for the water levels to go down. It's reported that about 23 million people in Assam live in flood-prone areas.
The Assam government has decided to set up special teams to take the flood-prone areas under their control and the people living in the affected areas and do long-term planning. In order to mitigate the impacts of flooding and to better prepare for the future, we need to establish a holistic approach to manage water resources across a large spatial and temporal scale. A core part of this approach is the careful management of our water sources. In order to manage these resources in the best possible way, it would be a good idea to know more about groundwater.
Flooding in the Assam is a perennial phenomenon. We need to come up with sustainable solutions like Integrated Water Resources Management to make sure that this natural disaster does not become even more severe. Flooding is a natural phenomenon. However, its recurrent character can be a reason of concern particularly in the state of Assam that has suffered the consequences of flooding more than others in the past. Climate change is expected to have a major effect on the intensity and frequency of floods. Therefore, the situation can get worse. In fact, we should prepare for the effects of climate change because already today, we can observe its effects.