Here are eight of the most common causes of flooding, both natural and human-induced. Heavy Rainfall at River Sources. There are also natural reasons flooding happens. Rain is the leading contributor to most of the flooding cases witnessed across the world. Sometimes, the rain becomes too heavy and ends up exceeding the rates of absorption and evaporation. Knowing these areas allows people the chance to avoid them and settle in areas of higher altitude and further away from the flood hotspots. Sometimes the rate at which water flows into a river or a lake exceeds the rate at which water exits these water bodies. This is mostly the case in large urban areas — think Houston and Los Angeles. Factors affecting flood Meteorological factors Physiological factors. Floods caused by heavy rainfall or a water source overflowing with the effect of melting snow. Given modern technology, we often know about storm surges and tsunamis before they arrive, but this is not always the case. For example, if you live along a river and areas upstream from you experience heavy rains, it could lead to a serious overflow where you live. Flooding is experienced all over the globe and for a variety of reasons — but why exactly does flooding occur? Slop of Catchment. 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. Floods cause more than $40 billion in damage worldwide annually, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. E-mail: info@b-air.com B-Air® products are certified ETL and CE approved for use in the US, Canada, Europe, and South America. Unusually heavy weather at the source of a river can lead to vast amounts of water draining into the water table. B-Air®’s innovative products are manufactured in our state-of-the-art facilities reflecting our continuing dedication to design, performance, and safety. Many conditions result in flooding. Basically, a flood happens when a large amount of water moves or spreads … Floods often cause damage to homes and businesses if they are in the natural flood plains of rivers. No matter how or why you experience a flood, you need a qualified water restoration professional with quality tools to help you get your home back into working order again. Floods can look very different because flooding covers anything from a few inches of water to several feet. Hydro-electric power, for example, is fuelled by dams with most holding huge amounts of water that rival some lakes. Flood waters also strip the ground of needed nutrients. 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. Planting of trees also helps mitigate flooding as plants act as natural barriers to floods. Some rainwater is absorbed by the ground where it goes on to form underground water, and some of it evaporates back into the atmosphere to form clouds which will later fall as rain. That increases costs to farmers but provides a benefit to fertilizer companies. Sometimes, however, those authorities have to make tough decisions about how to operate dams. Here are the leading causes of flooding. Every day, around 14,000 people experience a…, A backyard greenhouse is definitely every gardener’s…, 550 South Ayon Avenue While area residents likely welcome the rain, the lack of vegetation after the drought can cause flash flooding. Here are eight of the most common causes of flooding, both natural and human-induced. While riverine flood damage can be eliminated by moving away from rivers and other bodies of water, people have traditionally lived and worked by rivers because the land is usually flat and fertile and because rivers provide easy travel and access to commerce and industry. So, when those drainage basins fill up, it is going to mean flooding for low-lying areas. Most larger rivers include a series of dams to help manage large amounts of rainfall, and most river systems are managed by government authorities. Heavy Rainfall. This typically happens only in cases of sustained heavy rains over a long period. Flash floods can cause … When discussing floods, it’s important to understand what they are. The purpose of a flood study is to predict the depth of water and the extent to which it will inundate the landscape in a modelled flood event. Floods are among the most common natural occurrences on the planet. Take the Boxing Day floods of 2015, for example. Snow Melting. Causes of Flooding: There are many causes of flooding such as; Heavy Rains; Rivers or Streams Overflows; Lakes and Coastal Flooding; Dam Breakage; Melting of Glacier; Clogged Drainages; Heavy Rains: To most of the flooding cases, the rain is the leading contributor and contributing to flooding too much rain causes the water to flow overland. This causes them to spill water over their banks, and eventually, the water starts flowing over the adjacent land causing floods. Flooding often occurs when there is fast runoff into lakes, rivers and other reservoirs. To answer that, it's best to consider what causes floods in the first place. This is often the case with rivers and other channels that feature steep sides. In December 2004 a 9.1 magnitude earthquake occurred in the Indian Ocean. Rain is not always the culprit when it comes to flooding. In most cases, the infrastructure does its job, and you never have to think about where the rain goes when it runs off. Take the Boxing Day floods of 2015, for example. Flash floods are very dangerous floods that can happen with little or no warning. Floods are natural events that deeply affect human life. This causes the excess water to flow over and submerge the land for long periods. Some of the causes of floods include the following. Sometimes in a very short period of rain can cause floods. Top 5 Causes of 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. When it rains heavily, however, those systems are overwhelmed, and that water doesn’t drain nearly as quickly as it needs to. No matter where you live, you are surrounded by infrastructure and systems designed to move rainwater into appropriate basins and reservoirs. Extreme and heavy rainfall more than the drainage system can take causes of floods. These are just a few examples of common causes of floods, but there does not need to be an incredible weather event for you to experience flooding at your home. Your email address will not be published. Hurricanes, clogged drainages, and rainfall are some of the conditions that have led to flooding in various regions across the globe. By Benjamin Elisha Sawe on August 6 2018 in World Facts. Many of our cities are made of mostly concrete and other impermeable material. When you have an urban drainage basin that is made of concrete, there is no ground for water to sink into. A winter of heavy snow and other precipitation can lead to a spring of flooding. 2. They can also come on quickly or build gradually. Levees failed and made the flooding far worse than it would have been otherwise. There are many causes of floods, some are natural and some are human-made. There are several human causes of flooding, including poorly designed infrastructure. 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. There are several human causes of flooding, including poorly designed infrastructure. It is a similar issue to having a lack of vegetation, which is explained in more detail below. They often can manage the water and prevent flooding altogether — but not always. Catchment shape. Other anthropogenic causes of floods include increased urbanization. The causes of flooding are varied, but the effects of most causes can be managed if not prevented. This can be a bit of a conundrum after a drought. They are the most common and widespread natural severe weather event. 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. Causes of floods: Intensive rainfall and high melting of snow are two main causes of flood. Much of America’s infrastructure was built in the 20th century, so it is getting old. And the consequences of flooding can be savage. There are also natural reasons flooding happens. Floods always follow a pattern, and there are areas that are highly susceptible to floods compared to others. 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. Required fields are marked *. You do not necessarily need to have heavy rains to experience flooding in your area. Heavy rainfall is the biggest contributor to natural flooding incidences around the world, especially in the tropics. In particular, it is due to high rainfall intensity over a prolonged period. To better answer the question of “What is a flood?” we’ll an… During the rainy season, we can see heavy rainfall. This is part of what happened after Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in 2005. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions © 2020 worldatlas.com, more susceptible to rising sea levels than others. After all, that snow and ice have to go somewhere when they melt. Too much rain causes water to flow overland contributing to flooding. It may involve hydrologic and hydraulic investigations and a statistical analysis of the frequency with which floods have occurred. Unfortunately, sometimes they turn disastrous, killing people and destroying property, forcing humans to come up with countermeasures against flooding. 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