9781422269541

CHAPTER

WHAT MAKES A FLOOD

Turn Around Don’t Drown TURN AROUND DON’T DROWN is a campaign phrase used by the National Weather Service (NWS) to warn people of the hazards of walking or driving through floodwaters. A flood is a large amount of overflowing water onto what is normally dry land. Floods occur when existing waterways, such as oceans, rivers, or streams become overwhelmed with water. People die every year in floods because they attempt to drive or walk through floodwaters. Floodwaters are very strong, even when they do not appear deep. Some drivers attempt to drive around road barriers that are blocking flooded roads because they don’t think the water is dangerous. While the water may not always look dangerous, there is a chance the water caused the road to collapse. Walking through floodwaters is just as dangerous even if the water only comes up to your knees. It only takes six inches of floodwater to knock an adult off his or

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