5 Main Causes of Floods

Floods caused by heavy rainfall or a water source overflowing with the effect of melting snow. We can simply say a flood is a too much water that soil can’t absorb.  Floods are natural events that deeply affect human life. Flood disaster happened in places where the population is dense has caused billions of dollars worth of damages and is also the reason for the loss of countless lives over the past few years.

People and experts are recognizing that flooding is a serious concern right now. It is a problem faced not just in the United States but in other parts of the world as well. Flooding can affect a small area or large parts of a country, as recently witnessed by the U.S and some parts of Asia.

Top 5 Causes of Floods

1. Heavy Rainfall

During the rainy season, we can see heavy rainfall. Extreme and heavy rainfall more than the drainage system can take causes of floods. Sometimes in a very short period of rain can cause floods.

2. Snow Melting

In many cold areas, heavy snow stays unmelted top of the mountains. Climate changes cause a sudden temperature increase. Ices at the top of the mountains melt when the temperature rises. It causes snow melting floods.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4698124/Heavy-snowmelt-causes-flooding-Sierra-Nevada-range.html

3. Dam Failure 

Flooding can also result from the failure of dams or other hydraulic structures when a veritable wall of water can go hurtling down the river channel. As might be expected, the suddenness and magnitude of such an event, which is almost always the result of human failure in design, construction or operation, has disastrous results. [1]


4. River Overflows

Most flooding occurs when the volume of water in a river or stream exceeds the capacity of the channel. Flooding also takes place along the lake and coastal shorelines, when higher than normal water levels inundate low-lying areas.

5. Wrong House Location

The location of a house can be a determining factor for possible flooding damage. If your place is located in any of these areas, then you should be ready for possible damage caused by floods

-Location is near a dam

– Location is near a river

– Location is near the coastline

– Location is at the bottom of an elevated area like a hill

– Location is below the sea level

A house built near a dam is in danger of being engulfed in water in the dam spill out. However, that is not as threatening when a damn may burst and cause strong and heavy flooding.

On the other hand, a house located in a river or a lake is a danger of being flooded if the water level rises. This could happen when it starts raining pretty heavily.

Source: [1]

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