Comparison of the Cuases
Natural CausesBoth countries experienced significantly more rainfall and exceptionally high temperatures in summer (monsoon in Bangladesh) and winter alike, due to global warming. This resulted not only in higher overall temperatures, but also more radical changes in climate between summer and winter.
In both cases, global warming resulted in the melting of mountain snows, increasing the flow of water. However, while the natural causes of the Netherlands flood were entirely related to global warming, there were more influences on the Bangladesh flood besides global warming, such as its very low elevation, which is why the Bangladesh flood was much more severe and uncontrollable than the Netherlands flood. |
Human CausesDeforestation made a large contribution to both floods, because it reduced interception and soil storage, increasing surface runoff significantly, which can easily cause a flood.
Both countries have affected the floodplain, but while Bangladesh affected it by the diversion of the Ganges, resulting in the removal of silt, urbanisation of the floodplain in the Netherlands resulted in increased water flow directly to the river via surface runoff. Following heavy precipitation, flooding in both countries could be serious. Bangladesh, being an LEDC, was not able to afford reliable flood protection measures, and its existing protection measures were substandard, faulty, or did not work at all. On the other hand, while the Netherlands is an MEDC, human intervention with the natural water cycle and drainage basins have not been good either and do not provide any environmental benefits. |