Facts About Floods

Are you curious to learn some weird and wonderful facts about floods?

If so, excellent! You are in exactly the right place my friend…

It’s time to chat about flood facts.

Let’s dive right in…

1 – Floods are the most common natural disaster in America. A flood is defined as an event where water covers at least one-half acre or 40 acres.

2 – The cost of damages from floods is estimated to be $4 billion annually.

3 – Flooding can affect any part of a country, but it’s more likely to happen in low-lying areas with poor drainage systems. They often occur after heavy rainfall or snowmelt, and they cause major damage to properties and lives.

4 – The most common type of flood is caused by an overflowing river or stream.

5 – The majority of floods occur in the springtime when snow melts.

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6 – About 2% of floods are due to dam failures.

7 – Floods that cause more than $100 million in damages will most likely have been caused by a dam failure or hurricane/tropical storm flooding.

8 – A person’s chances of being hit by a car while walking outside is 1/200,000 whereas their chance of being flooded out of their home and business is 1/100,000

9 – There are 3 types of floods – flash, slow-moving, and coastal.

Flash floods happen when there is a sudden flood that overwhelms an area with water. Slow-moving flooding happens over time as rainfall accumulates on land to form streams or rivers.

Coastal flooding occurs when waves from storms push high levels of water onshore and into areas close to the coastlines.

10 – Some of the reasons for flooding include heavy rain, snowmelt, ice jams, dam breaks, levee failures or other human activity such as construction work near waterways.

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11 – The average flood is the result of 12 inches of rain in 24 hours.

12 – Flooding can be prevented by building dams to store water or installing culverts that will carry it away as well as not building on low-lying areas prone to flooding.

13 – There have been more than 500 historic floods in the United States since 1832.

14 – You should always carry an emergency evacuation kit with important documents like insurance papers or birth certificates as well as food and water for 2-3 days when evacuating from a flood zone. If you’re at home during a flood – turn off electricity before it gets wet.

15 – If you live in an area prone to floods, here are some things you should do before it happens- move valuable items upstairs, make sure your basement is waterproofed, have sandbags ready for use if needed, clear out anything blocking gutters or drains so they don’t get clogged up.

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16 – A typical home insurance policy does not cover flooding damage unless it’s specifically mentioned in your contract.

17 – FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) offers assistance for homeowners who have been affected by flooding.

18 – The National Weather Service tracks the risk of flooding for most US cities. Floods are a natural disaster that can happen anywhere and at any time.

19 – The risk of flooding is highest during the months of April, May, June, July, August and September.

20 – The United States Geological Survey defines a flood as “a general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of normally dry land areas from the overflow of inland or tidal waters, from heavy rainfall, or from other causes.”

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21 – Floods can be caused by hurricanes, tsunamis, monsoons, thunderstorms with torrential rain.

22 – It takes more than three inches (76 mm) per hour for a flash flood warning to be issued in most areas.

23 – A car can actually be carried away on water by just two feet (60 cm) of rushing water.

24 – More people die each year due to floods, than by tornados, hurricanes and lightning.

25 – The best way to protect your home from the dangers of flooding is by taking these precautions before an event takes place – buy flood insurance if you’re at risk for flooding (check FEMA’s map), store important items on higher levels than areas prone to flooding (like basements), keep gutters clean so they don’t clog up with debris during heavy rains or snows which could lead them to overflow into your house).

Facts About Floods – 25 Fun Flood Facts To WOW You!