Risk Reduction and Recovery from Flood Hazard- A Case of Human Adjustment in Lower Damodar Basin, West Bengal

Abstract

The study investigates the risk of flood hazards in the lower Damodar basin, focusing on human perception and adjustment strategies to mitigate and recover from the societal risk posed by these hazards. The river Damodar is known as ‘the sorrow of Bengal’ due to its flood ravages in the entire Damodar valley, which caused much unhappiness and distress in the lower Damodar region. In this area, the main flood-causing agents are rainfall and discharge from upland reservoirs. In the study, the annual peak flow is used to determine the flood frequency analysis. Flood inundation mapping analysis revealed that Amta and Khanakul blocks of Hooghly district are most vulnerable to maximum flood inundation during monsoon months. The damage due to floods in terms of economic loss and the probability of flood occurrences are used for assessing flood risk and the magnitude of vulnerability in the study area. The adopted structural measures in this area have not yielded sufficient results to mitigate the chronic flood problems. Therefore, some non-structural measures, particularly human adjustment strategies, are taken into consideration, like flood forecasting, alternative cropping arrangements, choices for other livelihood options, and capacity building through self-help- groups