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<p>Flooding is a recurrent disaster in the revirine areas of Bangladesh, yet its impacts on river-dependent livelihoods remain poorly understood at the local scale. During the 2024 nationwide floods, communities along the Halda River were severely affected, with riverbank households facing disruption of both subsistence and income-generating activities. This study examines livelihood vulnerability and coping mechanisms in three unions of Hathazari Upazila, using household surveys (<i>n</i> = 100), focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and participatory observations. Results show widespread losses, including income loss (85%), decrease in crop production (98%), soil erosion (90%), and severe service and infrastructure disruption (waterlogging and school closures: 100%; communication disruption and road/bridge damage: 95%). Preparedness was uneven, with 53% of households reporting early-warning receipt. Borrowing was the dominant recovery strategy, primarily from relatives and friends (72%), with smaller shares accessing microfinance (9%) and bank loans (4%). Fishermen and egg collectors were disproportionately impacted, reporting substantial financial losses and occupation-specific recovery needs (e.g., equipment replacement and storage facilities). Coping responses included livestock rearing (58%), homestead gardening (38%), reduced food consumption (48%), asset relocation (30%), and land mortgage (40%), reflecting short-term survival strategies rather than sustained resilience. Households most frequently prioritized structural risk-reduction measures, sluice gates (60%) and dams (30%), and emphasized infrastructure improvement (87%). These findings indicate that high dependence on natural resources and uneven access to institutional support exacerbate livelihood vulnerability, while strong community participation in local repairs (85%) offers an entry point for resilience-building. The study underscores the need to complement structural measures with livelihood-focused support, equitable and transparent relief delivery, and improved translation of early warnings into practical preparedness actions in flood-prone riverine settings.</p>

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Coping With Crisis: Livelihood Vulnerability in the Halda River Basin Amid the 2024 Flood in Bangladesh

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年2月25日

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  • Sumon Mia,
  • Md. Mostafa Monwar,
  • Md Khurshid Alam Bhuiyan

摘要

Flooding is a recurrent disaster in the revirine areas of Bangladesh, yet its impacts on river-dependent livelihoods remain poorly understood at the local scale. During the 2024 nationwide floods, communities along the Halda River were severely affected, with riverbank households facing disruption of both subsistence and income-generating activities. This study examines livelihood vulnerability and coping mechanisms in three unions of Hathazari Upazila, using household surveys (n = 100), focus group discussions, key informant interviews, and participatory observations. Results show widespread losses, including income loss (85%), decrease in crop production (98%), soil erosion (90%), and severe service and infrastructure disruption (waterlogging and school closures: 100%; communication disruption and road/bridge damage: 95%). Preparedness was uneven, with 53% of households reporting early-warning receipt. Borrowing was the dominant recovery strategy, primarily from relatives and friends (72%), with smaller shares accessing microfinance (9%) and bank loans (4%). Fishermen and egg collectors were disproportionately impacted, reporting substantial financial losses and occupation-specific recovery needs (e.g., equipment replacement and storage facilities). Coping responses included livestock rearing (58%), homestead gardening (38%), reduced food consumption (48%), asset relocation (30%), and land mortgage (40%), reflecting short-term survival strategies rather than sustained resilience. Households most frequently prioritized structural risk-reduction measures, sluice gates (60%) and dams (30%), and emphasized infrastructure improvement (87%). These findings indicate that high dependence on natural resources and uneven access to institutional support exacerbate livelihood vulnerability, while strong community participation in local repairs (85%) offers an entry point for resilience-building. The study underscores the need to complement structural measures with livelihood-focused support, equitable and transparent relief delivery, and improved translation of early warnings into practical preparedness actions in flood-prone riverine settings.