Md. Shamiul Huque

Adaptation Capacity Assessment of Char Dwellers: During Natural Disasters Md. Shamiul Huque

Manpura char is one of the most vulnerable areas in the District of Bhola in Bangladesh. The char dwellers face many problems. problems people mentioned in coping with floods and cyclone in Manpura char are similar to those mainland but they are more frequent and intense in the chars. These problems include difficulties in obtaining flood and supplies, and in cooking. Health hazards related to drinking of contaminated river water are prevalent during moon season and almost universal during severe floods, when most tube-wells on the chars are submerged. There are three periods in adaptation process and they are- pre-disaster,, during the disaster and post disaster. The char dwellers don't follow the systematic way for preparing themselves in the pre-disaster period as well during the disaster period. The southern part of this char island is more vulnerable to the natural disasters than the any other part of the char. When inundation or flood occurs, people often choose to move with their animals to highland or nearest embankment. Large animals have to stand in water for long period and animals become fatigued and vulnerable to diseases. The govt. should put emphasis in this regards.