Riverbank Erosion is an endemic natural hazard in our country. When rivers enter the mature, they become sluggish and meander or braid. These oscillations cause extreme riverbank erosion. Every year, millions of people of our country are affected by erosion that destroys many kinds of resources such as standing crops, farmland and homestead land, etc. About 5% of the total floodplain of our beloved country is directly affected by this kind of erosion.
The causes of riverbank erosion:
- Flood: Bangladesh is a riverine country. About 700 rivers including tributaries flow through Bangladesh constituting a good waterway of total length around 24,140 kilometers. Most of the country’s land is formed through silt brought by the rivers. In our country, every year the people are affected by floods, especially for a rainy reason. This is the most crucial reason for riverbank erosion.
- Deforestation: Deforestation refers to the cutting down trees and makes a forest non-forest. Trees can hold on the soil aggregates. But when the trees are cut down, the soil particles become loose and for this reason, the soil of the river bank can be eroded gradually.
Full Article: 5 Causes and 17 Effects of Riverbank Erosion in Bangladesh