Introduction
Every morning, before the sun has fully risen over the tidal flats of Satkhira in southwest Bangladesh, women begin walking. They walk two kilometers, sometimes five (about 1.2 to 3.1 miles) and sometimes more, carrying empty vessels that they will fill with drinking water. Then they walk back. Then, some days, they walk again.
A UNDP study found that women in coastal Bangladesh spend up to six hours a day on this task alone, six hours that cannot be spent earning, learning or caring for their children, and this is not even a drought zone. This is one of the largest deltas on Earth.
The Problem of Salty Water
The women walk past rivers, channels and flooded fields. The water is everywhere, and none of it is safe. Approximately 20 million people along Bangladesh’s coast cannot safely drink the water that surrounds them. Yet, a UNDP survey found that 73% of residents in five coastal sub-districts of Satkhira consume saline water every single day.
The crisis does not make the front pages of international newspapers the way droughts in East Africa or floods in Pakistan tend to. It is slow, structural and unglamorous, which is precisely why it has been allowed to continue for this long.
Causes and Consequences
The intrusion of saltwater into Bangladesh’s coastal mainland is not simply a consequence of rising seas, though the seas are certainly rising. Studies project that the sea level will rise between 26 and 82 centimeters by 2050, which will significantly affect Bangladesh’s coast.
The consequences of this saltwater intrusion are severe. The salty water is destroying the agriculture, fishing and wildlife of the region. Moreover, the lack of drinking water is affecting the health of the people, especially women and children.
Conclusion
Sea level rise is ruining coastal Bangladesh with salty water. It is a slow and structural crisis that is affecting the lives of millions of people. It is necessary that measures be taken to mitigate the effects of sea level rise and to provide drinking water for the affected people.
Source / Reference: Mongabay