Many inhabited areas of the world have been affected by severe flooding in recent years. What are some of the causes of this phenomenon? What can be done to prevent it from happening?

Flooding has had a devastating impact on many urban areas recently. in

this

essay, the root causes of flooding will be addressed and some viable steps which could be taken to deal with the problem will be presented. Though some flooding is a natural phenomenon, human activity has contributed to the recent increase in excessive amounts of water damaging the land. Modern agricultural methods,

for instance

, have played a significant role as they lead to deforestation and monoculture crops.

In other words

, only one species of a plant,

such

as rice or coffee, is grown in vast numbers.

As a result

, there are not enough roots in the soil to hold back excessive amounts of water during a sudden deluge, and flooding inevitably occurs.

Moreover

, property developers have been allowed to build housing estates on vulnerable floodplains which previously acted as natural defences against floods.

Finally

, climate change

due to

greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is likely to have contributed to flooding since average temperatures have risen and torrential rainfall has become increasingly common.

However

, steps could be taken to alleviate the problem. One method would be to encourage more biodiversity by planting more trees. Farmers,

for example

, could be provided with tax breaks for preserving hedgerows, rather than enlarging their fields. Another way could be to regulate construction companies more strictly to prevent developers from building on floodplains to preserve

this

natural defence.

Finally

, individuals should all take steps to reduce global warming by taking public transportation, reducing energy consumption in homes and offices, and recycling waste. In summary,

although

the situation looks dire in many areas at risk of flooding, there are some ways to ameliorate the problem. As temperatures continue to rise, these measures will be needed to an even greater extent in the future.