9781422269541

Effects of Floods Drowning is the number one cause of flood deaths. These deaths typically occur from people trying to walk or drive through floodwaters. In addition to the loss of life, floods, especially flash floods, cause significant property and infrastructure damage, road closures, crop destruction, and the deterioration of human health. It only takes about one inch of floodwater to cause approximately $25,000 in damage to a home. As the floodwaters rise, the cost of repairs increases substantially. Floods can damage the structure of a home or building and even decrease the integrity of roadways and bridges. Roads are closed to keep people from driving on flooded roadways that are unsafe. Roads are evaluated by cities to determine whether they are safe to drive on or if the road will need to be repaired before it is once again opened to traffic.

WEATHER WONDER

Floods can occur anywhere in the world, and are the number one natural disaster on the planet. As such, they are also the deadliest. In the United States, floods are responsible for more deaths than tornadoes, hurricanes, and lightning strikes combined.

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Facing the Weather: Floods