Final answer:
The Feni River contributes to widespread flooding in Bangladesh during the monsoon season, destroying homes and agriculture, leading to economic and personal hardship. The 1998 flooding event was particularly devastating. Environmental degradation and climate change further exacerbate these challenges.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Feni River, along with other rivers in Bangladesh, has a significant impact on the lives of the people due to the extreme flooding it can cause. Each year during the monsoon season, rivers, including the Feni, overflow their banks, resulting in widespread flooding that can cover up to one-third of the country. This annual flooding leads to the destruction of homes, loss of lives, and extensive damage to agriculture, which is a primary source of livelihood for the rural population.
In 1998, Bangladesh experienced one of the worst flooding events in its history, when river flooding destroyed over 300,000 homes and caused more than 1,000 deaths, rendering about 30 million people homeless. Such events contribute to severe economic and personal hardship among the local population, as they often have to start over after losing their homes, crops, and sometimes even family members.
With Bangladesh being a low-lying country and particularly susceptible to flooding, especially from heavy rainfall during the monsoon season, the problems are exacerbated. Environmental degradation, such as deforestation, further compounds the challenges faced by the country, as it reduces the land's natural capacity to absorb floodwater. Long-term climate change poses an additional threat, with the potential for sea level rise and increased storm intensity, leading to more frequent and severe flooding, and thereby increasing hardship for the population.