Heavy Rainfall. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2020 worldatlas.com, more susceptible to rising sea levels than others. Natural Causes of Floods: 1.High rainfall Heavy rainfall raises the water level. 2. When discussing floods, it’s important to understand what they are. A flood study is the scientific investigation of flooding in a particular area, usually the catchment of a river system. To better answer the question of “What is a flood?” we’ll an… Rain is the leading contributor to most of the flooding cases witnessed across the world. When there is more rain than the soil can absorb, the excess water quickly runs into rivers and creeks, overwhelming storm drains and ditches and causing a flash flood. Increase in the inflow of water into rivers and lakes is caused by heavy rainfall that occurs at some point along their course with the heaviest effects being felt downstream where the river starts to flatten out and slow down. Here we investigate what causes floods. When heavy rains strike, the basins used to drain them cannot always handle the load. Let’s start with a flooding definition. When heavy rains come, and water levels rise, aging dams can fail and unleash torrents of water on unsuspecting households. You do not necessarily need to have heavy rains to experience flooding in your area. Every day, around 14,000 people experience a…, A backyard greenhouse is definitely every gardener’s…, 550 South Ayon Avenue Unusually heavy weather at the source of a river can lead to vast amounts of water draining into the water table. Rain is not always the culprit when it comes to flooding. Basically, a flood happens when a large amount of water moves or spreads … Floods are an area of study in the discipline of hydrology. Sometimes, however, those authorities have to make tough decisions about how to operate dams. During the rainy season, we can see heavy rainfall. To answer that, it's best to consider what causes floods in the first place. There are several human causes of flooding, including poorly designed infrastructure. Sometimes in a very short period of rain can cause floods. Azusa, California 91702, Phone: 877-800-BAIR (2247) Other anthropogenic causes of floods include increased urbanization. Your email address will not be published. Flash floods are very dangerous floods that can happen with little or no warning. There are also natural reasons flooding happens. While we have come to depend on 20th-century architecture, and much of it does its job well, there is always a possibility that a structure will fail. Nature, however, is a force which cannot be contained, and sometimes these walls collapse and release all the water causing flooding in the adjacent areas destroying property and life in the process. There are many causes of floods, some are natural and some are human-made. Sometimes, the rain becomes too heavy and ends up exceeding the rates of absorption and evaporation. Most mountainous areas experience relatively consistent snowfall totals from year to year, but an unusually heavy winter of precipitation can spell bad news for low-lying areas around the mountains when spring hits. Here are eight of the most common causes of flooding, both natural and human-induced. Extreme and heavy rainfall more than the drainage system can take causes of floods. In most cases, the infrastructure does its job, and you never have to think about where the rain goes when it runs off. Vegetation can help slow runoff and prevent flooding. Hurricanes, clogged drainages, and rainfall are some of the conditions that have led to flooding in various regions across the globe. Soybeans, corn, rice, and cotton are planted in the Mississippi River area in the spring when flooding occurs. In December 2004 a 9.1 magnitude earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean. Some of the causes of floods include the following. This causes the excess water to flow over and submerge the land for long periods. Your email address will not be published. Flooding also takes place when snowmelt or rainfall runoff cannot be channeled ap… The tsunami was responsible for the deaths of around 227,000 people who inhabited coastal towns in 14 different countries that bordered the ocean with Indonesia bearing the most damage on both property and life. This causes them to spill water over their banks, and eventually, the water starts flowing over the adjacent land causing floods. Floods cause more than $40 billion in damage worldwide annually, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. No matter where you live, you are surrounded by infrastructure and systems designed to move rainwater into appropriate basins and reservoirs. A floodis an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry. Here we investigate what causes floods. Increase in the inflow of water into rivers and lakes is caused by heavy rainfall that occurs at some point along their course with the heaviest effects being felt downstream where the river starts to flatten out and slow down. By Benjamin Elisha Sawe on August 6 2018 in World Facts.   Flood waters also strip the ground of needed nutrients. In the quest to make life easier, man has always been involved in activities that seem to go against nature. Required fields are marked *. Causes of floods: Intensive rainfall and high melting of snow are two main causes of flood. This does not always happen given that basins and reservoirs are close to empty, but it can occur in cases of extreme rains following long periods of drought. The water is usually held back by carefully designed walls that prevent spillage of water. Too much rain causes water to flow overland contributing to flooding. Here are eight of the most common causes of flooding, both natural and human-induced. The simplest explanation for flooding is heavy rains. Concrete lands diminish the water absorption capacity of the soil and thus more water runoff to … Why is it that some places flood and others don’t? While area residents likely welcome the rain, the lack of vegetation after the drought can cause flash flooding. This undersea mega thrust triggered giant tsunamis that created waves of more than 90 feet high. Planting of trees also helps mitigate flooding as plants act as natural barriers to floods. Depending on elevation, some countries are more susceptible to rising sea levels than others. Slop of Catchment. Snow Melting. Flooding is experienced all over the globe and for a variety of reasons — but why exactly does flooding occur? This is mostly the case in large urban areas — think Houston and Los Angeles. One area might receive a lot of rain and won’t flood while in other areas the same amount of rainfall can wreak havoc, destroying homes, businesses and the natural environment. Heavy rainfall is the biggest contributor to natural flooding incidences around the world, especially in the tropics. Unfortunately, sometimes they turn disastrous, killing people and destroying property, forcing humans to come up with countermeasures against flooding. This causes them to spill water over their banks, and eventually, the water starts flowing over the adjacent land causing floods. It is a similar issue to having a lack of vegetation, which is explained in more detail below. When it rains heavily, however, those systems are overwhelmed, and that water doesn’t drain nearly as quickly as it needs to. Much of America’s infrastructure was built in the 20th century, so it is getting old. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. They can also come on quickly or build gradually. There are several human causes of flooding, including poorly designed infrastructure. Floods often cause damage to homes and businesses if they are in the natural flood plains of rivers. Headquartered in Azusa, California, with a reliable network of distributors throughout the world, B-Air® takes pride in manufacturing quality equipment for the inflatable, water damage restoration as well as the pet and animal industries. In short, the drainage systems back up, and the water rises — sometimes into homes. Storm surges related to hurricanes and other storms can lead to significant flooding, as can tsunamis that are sometimes caused by underwater earthquakes. Levees failed and made the flooding far worse than it would have been otherwise. Hydro-electric power, for example, is fuelled by dams with most holding huge amounts of water that rival some lakes. When there is a lack of vegetation, however, there is little to stop water from running off.

what are the causes of flood

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