Home > Editorial > Flood spectacle

Flood spectacle

29 May 2009

With the rains, we have seen a spate of confusion everywhere. Thimphu was one chaotic picture.

Everybody woke up and suddenly found water everywhere. By the time residents knew that Wangchhu and its tributaries were in flood, considerable damage had already been done. Soon the raging river and damaged sites became a spectacle for the residents. Hundreds of people came out in the rain.

By the time the Home Ministry sent out a cautionary announcement, inquisitive crowds had become almost uncontrollable. People lined the river bank for kilometres on end. Some wanted to take pictures while others wanted to see the debris-laden river at close quarters. Yet, some others wanted to make the most of the flooded river. They dangerously scrambled for suffocated fish or wrestled with fast-floating logs.

At some settlements close to the banks, residents were seen salvaging their belongings in chest-deep waters.

At many points, the expressway was clogged with randomly parked cars.

Meanwhile, across the city, roads were waterlogged. Clogged sewage pipes gave way and sent muddy water and garbage spurting onto the roads. The centennial farmers market, a recent pride of the city, was a watery mess. And people never stopped scurrying around in the rain.

With the above scene in mind, now imagine that the flood level had risen exponentially in minutes. The crowds of onlookers would have been caught unawares. Many of them would have been swept away, with fishers and log collectors being the first. The excited crowds and clogged and waterlogged roads would have seriously hampered any rescue operation.

The flood has left us with food for thought. Our flood warning system should be triggered at least hours, if not days, before any flood occurs. Our people should know that a flood is a dangerous spectacle, unpredictable and elemental. That to try to fish and collect potential fuel wood from flood waters is insane. That they should flee to a safer place with their valuables when the flood water is chest-deep, instead of lugging heavy furniture and mattresses to dry grounds. That rescuers need enough space for operation.

All of these call for awareness and education plus reawakening of common sense.

For the government authorities, there is a strong reminder. Waterlogged roads, a flooded vegetable market, sewage-spewing openings and garbage-carrying rivulets all around had nothing to do with Wangchhu flood. They are the spectres of our patchy work haunting us every rainy season.

Ratings: 1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (3 votes | 3.67 out of 5)
Loading ... Loading ...
Email this page Email this page     Print this page Print this page    

Posted by Chime · Filed Under Editorial 

Comments

One Response to “Flood spectacle”

  1. tenzin on June 4th, 2009 1:11 pm

    the recent floods in thimphu should realy be taken up seriously. not just the floods, we are prone to several other natural disasters which could easily cause chaotic situations. above all we must never loose sight of the fact that we are geographicaly located in a unstable seismic zone, the himalayas. not to mention the seismologists’ predictions that a major quake measuring not less than 9 on the ritcher scale could hit the himalayan belt anytime soon. in the event of such calamities, are we eqquipt to confront these possiblities?

Leave your comment





Note: Comments are moderated by Bhutan Observer, and may not appear until they have been reviewed and deemed appropriate for posting.

Bhutan Observer is Digg proof thanks to caching by WP Super Cache