Article Title

Impact of flood on rural population and strategies for mitigation: A case study of Darbhanga district, Bihar state, India

Authors

Vikash Kumar, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, UKFollow
Suk Yin Caroline Cheng, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, UK
Ajit Kumar Singh, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi, India

Abstract

Floods are one of the most disastrous acts of nature and impact human life in multiple ways. Damages by floods in rural areas are more severe compared to urban counterparts due to poverty, limited infrastructures and access to resources and health care services. The Province of Bihar in India, with a population of 104.1 million, has 76 per cent of the population living under recurring threat of floods. In 2008, Bihar experienced severe floods in the northern region that affected more than 2.3 million people; and in 2013, they affected more than 5.9 million in 3768 villages across 20 rural districts. Floods damage property, infrastructure and further decreases access to health care and social services. This paper draws from the data collected for the primary author’s master’s thesis, along with his personal experience on floods as an inhabitant of a flooded community. It outlines the impact of floods in the rural areas of Bihar and highlights the continuous marginalization and exclusion of flood-affected communities. This paper will raise awareness of the issue and call for global support to advocate for more effective flood mitigation strategies.

Recommended Citation

Kumar, Vikash; Cheng, Suk Yin Caroline; and Singh, Ajit Kumar (2016) "Impact of flood on rural population and strategies for mitigation: A case study of Darbhanga district, Bihar state, India," Contemporary Rural Social Work Journal: Vol. 8: No. 1, Article 5.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.61611/2165-4611.1109
Available at: https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/crsw/vol8/iss1/5