Made by: Maria Krissabella Budiman/16/XIIS4

Novianti /21/XIIS4

FLOOD

 ETIMOLOGY

The word "flood" comes from the Old English flod, a word common to Germanic
languages (compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow,
float; also compare with Latin fluctus, flumen). Deluge myths are mythical stories of a
great flood sent by a deity or deities to destroy civilization as an act of divine
retribution, and they are featured in the mythology of many culture

 DEFINITION

A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land that is usually dry. Floods often
cause damage to homes and businesses if they are in the natural flood plains of
rivers.

Flooding is a natural disaster that often occurs in many cities on different scales
where excessive amount of water is on dry land.

 HOW FLOOD DEVELOP

A flood occurs when water overflows or inundates land that's normally dry. This
can happen in a multitude of ways. Most common is when rivers or streams
overflow their banks.
Most floods take hours or even days to develop, giving residents ample time to
prepare or evacuate.

 ACTION TO ANTICIPATE FLOOD

If it has been raining hard for several hours, or steadily raining for several days, be
alert to the possibility of a flood. Floods happen as the ground becomes saturated.
 Use a NOAA Weather Radio or a portable, battery-powered radio (or television)
for updated emergency information. Local stations provide the best advice for your
particular situation.

Listen for distant thunder. In some types of terrain, runoff from a faraway
thunderstorm could be headed your way.

If you are stopping your vehicle, camp or park away from streams and washes,
particularly during threatening conditions. Flood waters can rise quickly and carry
you or your belongings away.

When in or along stream channels, be aware of distant events, such as dam breaks
or thunderstorms that may cause flash floods in the area.

 CAUSES OF FLOOD

 Illegal logging
 Throwing garbage anywhere
 High intensity rain
 Heavy rainfall.
 Long periods of rain.
 Snowmelt.
 Steep slopes.
 Impermeable rock (doesn't allow water through)
 Very wet, saturated soils.
 Compacted or dry soil.
 POSITIVE IMPACT OF FLOOD

 RENEWAL OF WETLANDS
Floods contribute to the health of ecologically important wetland areas.
Healthy wetlands promote healthy water supplies and even affect air quality.
Floods inundate wetlands with fresh waste. They also carry and deposit
nutrient-rich sediments that support both plant and animal life in wetlands. In
 addition, flooding adds nutrients to lakes and streams that help support
healthy fisheries.
 RETURNING NUTRIENTS TO SOIL
Floods distribute and deposit river sediments over large areas of land. These
river sediments replenish nutrients in topsoil and make agricultural lands
more fertile. The populations of many ancient civilizations concentrated along
the floodplains of rivers such as the Nile, the Tigris and the Yellow because
periodic flooding resulted in fertile, productive farmland. The construction of
the Aswan High Dam in Egypt prevented the Nile from flooding major
population centers downriver, but it also depleted once fertile agricultural
lands along the banks of the river.
 PREVENTING EROSION AND MAINTAINING LAND MASS
ELEVATION
Soil deposited by flood waters prevents erosion and helps maintain the
elevation of land masses above sea level. The rapidly receding land of the
Mississippi River Delta is a direct result of man-made flood controls and
levees that prevent topsoil-replenishing sediments from being deposited in
the delta.
 NEGATIVE IMPACT
 Loss of lives and property: Immediate impacts of flooding include loss of
human life, damage to property, destruction of crops, loss of livestock, non-
functioning of infrastructure facilities and deterioration of health condition
owing to waterborne diseases.
 Loss of livelihoods: As communication links and infrastructure such as
power plants, roads and bridges are damaged and disrupted, economic
activities come to a standstill, resulting in dislocation and the dysfunction of
normal life for a period much beyond the duration of the flooding.
 Decreased purchasing and production power: Damage to
infrastructure also causes long-term impacts, such as disruptions to clean
water and electricity, transport, communication, education and health care.
 Psychosocial effects: The huge psycho-social effects on flood victims and
their families can traumatize them for long periods of time.
  Hindering economic growth and development: The high cost of relief
and recovery may adversely impact investment in infrastructure and other
development activities in the area and in certain cases may cripple the frail
economy of the region.

 FLOOD TYPES
 Flash Flood
In areas with steep slopes, heavy rain can cause a riverbed that held very little
or no water at first, to suddenly brim with fast flowing water. The rain water
is collected on the slopes, then flows downhill gathering speed and all the
water comes together in the river bed. The flood stops as suddenly as it
starts.
 Coastal Flooding
Simply put a coastal flood is when the coast is flooded by the sea. The cause
of such a surge is a severe storm. The storm wind pushes the water up and
creates high waves.
A flood starts when waves move inland on an undefended coast or overtop
or breach the coastal defence works like dunes and dikes. The waves attack
the shore time and again. When it is a sandy coast, each wave in a storm will
take sand away. Eventually a dune may collapse that way.
 RIVER OR FLUVIAL FLOODS
Rainfall over an extended period and an extended area can cause major rivers
to overflow their banks. The water can cover enormous areas. Downstream
areas may be affected, even when they didn’t receive much rain themselves.

 TIPS WHEN FLOOD OCCUR

 Tip 1 - Look well ahead to spot flooded areas early
The earlier you spot the flood the more time you will have to assess how
you are going to deal with it. As you will read further down in this article it is
not advisable to drive fast through flooded areas, so by spotting it early you
will have more time to slow down to an appropriate speed.
 Tip 2 - Anticipate where floods could form
 Floods will normally form at the bottom of hills after periods of heavy rain, as
this is where all the water will collect. So if you are going down a hill be
ready for a flood at the bottom of the hill. Also listen to news and other
recourses to see which roads are flooded and avoid them where
possible. After all you don't want to be going down a hill and have a blind-
bend (One you can't see around) coming up and then around that bend there
is a large flooded area, you may not have time to slow down sufficiently to
successfully deal with it.
 Tip 3 - Check the depth
Before attempting to go through a flooded area check the depth of the water.
You could use things such as how high the water comes on any other cars
that attempt to go through or even how high it is in relation to parked cars,
street lights and pavements. If you can't see the pavement then the chances
are the water is covering it so will be at least a foot deep. Also be aware that
the flood water is likely to cover up hazards beneth, such as potholes or
kerbs, which could damage your car.
 HOW TO PREVENT MORE FLOODING IN THE FUTURE
 Introduce better flood warning system
 Modify homes and businesses to help them withstand floods
 Construct buildings above flood levels
 Protect wetlands and introduce plant trees strategically
 Introduce water storage areas
 FLOODING CASE
 2007 Jakarta flood
 August 2004 south west of England
 1993 Mississippi Flood