Natural disasters hit many countries. Bangladesh and Cambodia, for example, regularly suffers from floods. In Bangladesh, cyclones have sometimes made these floods much worse. When this has happened, many people have lost their homes and even their lives. More generally, serious flooding damages agriculture in countries where it is often essential to the economy. It is not surprising, therefore, that governments, as well as individuals, search for ways to deal with such danger. When natural disasters occur regularly, they are easier to deal with than irregular ones. For example, countries that lie primarily below sea level can expect floods over the years, and they learn to deal with them. Holland, for example, has built a complex system of canals in order to protect itself from flooding from the sea. In Bangladesh, however, where the many rivers cause regular floods, a certain amount of flooding actually helps agriculture. This is because the floods bring a deposit of rich soil. Irrigation systems, which are necessary for effective rice production, also help to control floods. However, natural disasters like cyclones are almost impossible to control because they are both irregular and compelling. While some things make natural disasters better, others make them worse. Bangladesh's huge population, for example, forces many farmers to live on land that is easily flooded. As a result, when a cyclone hits Bangladesh, strong winds blow down houses and trees, the sea rises up and threatens the land, and there is a terrible loss of life as well as property.