A flood is one of the most devastating types of natural catastrophe. This is usually associated with overflowing rivers and sea swells that accompany tropical storms. However, there are different types of floods, with some occurring in places located far away from water bodies like in urban cities during and after a heavy downpour.
Floods can move either slowly or quickly, but usually develop over several days. The worst flood event is a dam failure which can be due to neglect, poor design, or structural damage resulting from a catastrophic event such as an earthquake. A dam failure will often cause large amounts of water to be released downstream, its force destroying everything in its path.
Types of Floods
Floods come in different types, each one having varying damage potentials. It is thus important that you become aware of each type so you can move your family to safety if the flood is one that can quickly cause severe damage to your home.
1. Flash Floods
Because they move at tremendous speed and carry incredibly destructive power, flash floods are considered as the most dangerous of the different types of floods. They often occur when rainfall becomes too heavy that it exceeds the ground’s ability to absorb all the water. While flash floods are usually limited in size, they can develop without notice within six hours of continuously heavy rain. Their rapid and forceful movement can cause large objects like cars, trees, and boulders to be easily moved aside.
2. River Floods
When water from a river has risen above the banks, a river flood has begun. This type of flood can happen on any stream or river, regardless of the size, and is usually caused by severe rainfall and tropical storms.
3. Pluvial Floods
Pluvial flooding occurs in flat areas that can’t absorb rainwater. This results in the formation of puddles or ponds. Pluvial flooding is common in rural areas where it often wreaks havoc on agricultural lands and related farming activities.
4. Coastal Floods
This type of flood occurs in coastal areas where strong winds and intense storms push high tides and waves towards the coastline. As the waves break through the land, those who live near the coast are practically defenseless from the raging waters that could bury their homes.
These disasters often have serious consequences that occur before and after the flood and can range from nervousness and mental health problems to injuries and contaminated-water-caused diseases.The former is usually due to stress caused by injuries from falling debris and unsuccessful attempts to escape the floodwaters.
5. Urban Floods
These days, heavy rains that can cause flooding also occur in several urban towns or cities. Because they are so densely built up, these places often lack natural drainage channels. Urban floods are not serious, but they can damage sewage pipes. Additionally, driving becomes dangerous in this flood type, especially when floodwaters flow down to major roads.
6. Sewage Floods
These floods take place when heavy rains overwhelm the sewage systems, causing them to break and release untreated wastewater onto water bodies. The most distressing scenario is when the sewage suffers a leak that enters the pipes or drains and makes its way to sinks and toilets.
Sewage floods are dangerous because of the presence of harmful bacteria and chemicals in the water. This can lead to infections, nausea, vomiting, and many other illnesses that can be acquired before and after the flood subsides.
7. Groundwater Floods
Inundated drainage systems because of heavy rains are the common causes of groundwater floods. The water can overflow into nearby streets, but this is usually gradual, giving people ample time to evacuate if this becomes necessary. Even so, the water can persist for several weeks or even months, increasing the likelihood of damage to structures and properties.
How to Prepare For a Flood
There are three areas that you need to look after whenever a flood becomes imminent. These include your family, your home, and your pets.
1. Family
Discuss with your family what should be done if a flood warning has been issued in your area. Talking about floods in advance can help reduce fear in the family, particularly in little children. This is especially true when they see you hurriedly packing things and preparing the family flood emergency kit.
It’s also crucial that you have a battery-operated radio so you can listen to the latest news broadcast about the flood. While waiting for the update, you can check nearby rivers and streams to see if there has been any significant increase in the water level.
2. Home
Keep insurance policies, valuables, and important documents in a safe box, so they won’t get damaged if the flood reaches your home. Alternatively, you can store copies of important files on a flash drive that you can take with you if you need to leave your home. Family and personal photographs, meanwhile, can be saved in your smartphone.
Inside the house, you can transfer your electric panels, furnace, and appliances like the water heater to higher grounds. The latter is crucial as it’s your best source of freshwater if the floods come in.
3. Pets
Just like with the family, you should also have a flood emergency plan prepared for your pets in case you need to move out because of imminent flooding. If you plan to stay, however, consider placing fences so that your furry friends will not move around unnecessarily and simply follow you when you and your family go up to the higher areas of the house.
What to Do During a Flood
If you’re moving to the upper floors of the house as floodwaters have made their way to the basement and the first floor, there are two basic flood supplies that you should bring along with you. The first is a battery-powered radio so you can listen for the most current flood information, particularly, how long it’s expected to last. The second is a pack of canned goods and jugs of clean drinking water.
If you’re outside the house, find a safe and high place and stay there until the flood subsides. Avoid walking in floodwaters as this is risky since they are likely to be contaminated.
Key Takeaway
Floods often happen in a matter of minutes, especially when factors like heavy rainfall are present. Depending on where you live, you could suffer from river, coastal, pluvial, and urban flooding, but the most dangerous flood type are flash floods. This is because they have strong and fast-moving waters with tremendous and destructive force.
If your place is set to be flooded, you need to ensure the security of your family, home, and pets by following established safety protocols. These include possible evacuation if the flooding turns out to be severe which may mean eventually contacting experts for home mitigation works.
Deep Water Emergency Services & Mitigation is your best choice to fix your flood-damaged house.
A great flood can destroy everything that blocks its path, and this can include your own house. Fortunately, there is Deep Water Emergency Services & Mitigation, the expert in home mitigation, especially when it involves houses that suffered from water damage caused by natural disasters.
Our water damage mitigation Colorado Springs team is always on the alert for any unexpected water catastrophes. Call us now and we’ll use our advanced water damage equipment to effectively restore your ravaged property to its former glory.
