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Important Facts About Floods

Floods are no laughing matter. Water---especially lots of water---can become an extremely dangerous threat, putting lives at risk. Floods make up the single most common type of natural disaster each and every year. In 2008, over $2 billion in flood damage claims were filed---and that was only in Texas.

  1. Flash Floods

    • On average, flash floods in the U.S. are responsible for more deaths than any other type of flooding. This very spontaneous force of nature can occur in less than a day and in some cases less than a few hours. The floods result from heavy rainfall, which collects rapidly into low-lying areas.

    Stay Away From Vehicles

    • Although deep water might be tempting to navigate in a vehicle, statistics show that more flood-related deaths---about 60 percent, according to USA Today---happen in vehicles. Vehicles can easily be carried away by water. Even 2 feet of water can cause a vehicle to lose traction and begin to float.

    Avoid Walking Through Flood Waters

    • Not only are vehicles dangerous, but attempting to navigate waters solo has extreme risks as well. Even moving flood waters as high as 6 inches off the ground can knock over a grown person. No state is exempt from flooding as it is common in all 50 states.

    Home Damage and Insurance

    • A key understanding about water is that even a little can cause a lot of damage. Even an inch of flood water can cause serious infrastructure damage. Flood premiums average $300 per year---as of 2011---and average $100,000 in coverage, according to Pvcgov.com. Over the course of a 30-year mortgage, an individual home will average a 26 percent likelihood of encountering a flood.

    Other Major Sources of Flooding

    • A few other types of flooding are rare, but hold devastating effects when they occur. One type is a tsunami---such as the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, which affected parts of Indonesia, Thailand and even India. Tsunamis usually trigger due to oceanic earthquakes. Alternatively, hurricanes---such as the 1900 hurricane in Galveston, which cost over 8,000 lives---can cause severe flooding in coastal regions.

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