Causes and Dangers of Floods

Flooding is an undesirable catastrophe. It happens whenever there is an overflow of a stream, a river, a dam or even a lake. Naturally, flooding is an overflow of large quantities of water into a usually dry land which becomes submerged. This natural occurrence results typically from excessive rainfall.

The possibility of a river bursting its banks is mainly determined by the surrounding factors of the landscape. These factors include the amount of vegetation, the steepness of the river valley and the rock type. Streams that occur on very steep landscape cause flooding especially if that area lacks vegetation. Flooding can be costly to bear as it results in extensive damage to property and loss of life. Floods are strong enough to wipe away firm buildings and trees.

 

Leading Causes of Flooding

Here are the leading causes of flooding.

1. Rain

Reports across the world show that rain is the leading cause of flooding. Prolonged rainfall, in particular, causes water overflow. If it rains more than a drainage system can handle, floods results. Flooding can happen in two instances when there is excessive rain over a short period or light rain for prolonged periods.

2. Strong winds in coastal regions

Hurricanes can carry seawater into the dry coastal regions and cause floods. This situation can get worse if these strong winds occur during the rainy season. Massive flooding results in extensive damage. A similar scenario can happen with tsunami occurrence in the sea.

3. River overflows

Mostly when there is more water on the upstream of a river than the downstream, the banks of a river burst and flood water onto the dry land. At times, feeder dams cause river overflows. An overflow happens when this dam exceeds its capacity and overflow the river thereby causing floods on the dry plains. Floods caused by river overflow usually sweep everything on their path downstream.

4. Dam breakage

Dams are human-made barriers constructed to hold back water from flowing from a highland. Mostly, water is trapped in a dam for electricity generation or water supply. You will find dams in countries where farming is a significant economic activity. Water in the dam can burst its bank and cause flooding.

Water can burst as a result of the dam walls being substandard or weakened by overwhelming water capacity.  A time, excess water is deliberately released from the dam to prevent dam breakage thereby causing flooding. Horrifying incidents of dam flooding have been reported around the world where excessive damage has occurred and loss of many lives.

5. Melting of ice and snow

Cold regions are known to form ice and snows during winter seasons. In the wake of the summer season, these ice and snows melt due to the rising temperature. This phenomenon results in vast amounts of water running into the drylands. A similar outcome happens in the regions where mountains form ice on top. Such flooding is known as snowmelt floods.

 

The Awful Damages Caused by Flooding

Flooding can be disastrous, it brings damage to homes, possessions and disrupts communication. Various problems show up when floods hit your home. From contamination resulting from sewage filling your house from overflowing sewer lines. Molds are also likely to grow on surfaces that contacted water and have been wet for over 48 hours.

Water can erode rocks and cause cracks in your house foundation and walls making water penetrate into the basement. This water creates dampness in your house, and more problems emanate. To be able to determine the magnitude of floods damage, consider the duration the floods have taken. You will ascertain any interference with insulation inside your house, damage to the electrical systems or the gas systems.

Can you restore your home back to dryness after floods? It is possible to restore the comfort of your home by use of cleaning and restoration dehumidifiers. These dehumidifiers are primarily for use in the aftermath of floods.