Dramatic Flood Scenario and Brahmaputra’s Unexpected Change

Brahmaputra’s dramatic change of course to lands where flood was never experienced is presently taking it under its grip due to river’s rising water, if this scenario continues then most economical zones can be affected.

Erosion is a major threat due to which Brahmaputra has expanded 2km to 14km in varied districts of Assam, forcing people to move out from their habitat area. Without a land to stand it has become difficult for the government to control the sea of challenges triggered due to flush out of water into the mouth of Brahmaputra by multiple tributaries.

Brahmaputra solely discharges 19,830 cubic meters per second annually. Creating complicated scenario in the areas through which it makes passage to the Bay of Bengal. According to the Professor of IIT, Guwahati erosion has triggered drastically from past few years due to holes made by animals for underground shelter. Consequently this helps to create series of small water channels due to continuous heavy downpour by the bank side soil. In the process due to continuous movement of powerful current through these water channels weakened the base, bringing powerful collapse of the top soil and daily shrinking the size of the land.

Wind, incessant rain and water current are the present main factors that collapsed the manmade dam of Majuli, inundating the entire island causing colossal disaster. Usually it is very difficult to predict how fast the soil or upper crust of the earth could erode.  

Mainly sandy soil by riverside bank is susceptible to fast erosion due to river inundation, speeding wind and growing water current. The only way to avert such situation is by plantation of trees and careful cultivation on soil.