Flooding in low lying areas A Flooding in low lying areas is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas washes, rivers,

dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over icesheets or snowfields. Flooding in low lying areass can also occur after the collapse of a natural ice or debris dam, or a human structure such as a man-made dam, as occurred before the Johnstown Flood of 1889. Flooding in low lying areass are distinguished from a regular flood by a timescale less than six hours. The temporary availability of water is often utilised by plants with rapid germination and short growth cycle, and by specially adapted animal life.[1] Causes Flooding in low lying areasing occurs when a barrier holding back water fails or when water falls too quickly on saturated soil or dry soil that has poor absorption ability. The runoff collects in low-lying areas and rapidly flows downhill. Flooding in low lying areass most often occur in normally dry areas that have recently received precipitation, but may be seen anywhere downstream from the source of the precipitation, even dozens of miles from the source. In areas on or near volcanoes, Flooding in low lying areass have also occurred after eruptions, when glaciers have been melted by the intense heat. Flooding in low lying areass are known to occur in the highest mountain ranges of the United States and are also common in the arid plains of southwestern U.S. Hazards The United States National Weather Service gives the advice "Turn Around, Don't Drown" in reference to Flooding in low lying areass; that is, it recommends that people get out of the area of a Flooding in low lying areas, rather than trying to cross it. Many people tend to underestimate the dangers of Flooding in low lying areass. What makes Flooding in low lying areass most dangerous is their sudden nature. Being in a vehicle provides little to no protection against being swept away; it may make people overconfident and less likely to avoid the Flooding in low lying areas. More than half of the fatalities attributed to Flooding in low lying areass are people swept away in vehicles

when trying to cross flooded intersections.[2] As little as two feet of water (60 cm) can be enough to carry away most SUV-sized vehicles.[3] The U.S. National Weather Service reported in 2005 that, using a national 30-year average, more people die yearly in floods, 127 on average, than by lightning (73), tornadoes (65), or hurricanes (16).[4] In deserts, Flooding in low lying areass can be particularly deadly for several reasons. First, storms in arid regions are infrequent, but they can deliver an enormous amount of rain in a very short time. Second, these rains often fall on poorly-absorbent and often clay-like soil, which greatly increase the amount of runoff that rivers and other water channels have to handle. In addition, these regions may not have the infrastructure that wetter regions have to divert water from structures and roads, such as storm drains and retention basins, either because of sparse population, poverty or because residents believe the risk Flooding in low lying areass pose is not high enough to justify the expense. In fact, in some areas, desert roads frequently cross dry river and creek beds without bridges. From the driver's perspective, there may be clear weather, when unexpectedly a river forms ahead of or around the vehicle in a matter of seconds.[5] Finally, the lack of regular rain to clear water channels may cause Flooding in low lying areass in deserts to be headed by large amounts of debris, such as rocks, branches and logs. Deep slot canyons can be especially dangerous to hikers as they may be flooded by a storm that occurs on a mesa miles away, sweeping through the canyon, making it difficult to climb up and out of the way to avoid the flood. Preparation for Flash Flood The only way to prepare for a Flooding in low lying areas is to be aware of the weather and pay attention when there is exceptionally heavy rainfall. Listen to weather reports for flood information. Weather forecasters may declare a Flooding in low lying areas watch when there is a possibility that rain will cause flooding. If some flooding has begun to occur, a Flooding in low lying areas advisory will be declared. When the flooding turns dangerous, a Flooding in low lying areas warning is declared. Flooding in low lying areasing usually occurs around streams, gullies and ditches. How To React to a Flash Flood If a Flooding in low lying areas warning is issued in your area, you must react quickly: If you are outdoors:

Get to higher ground as quickly as possible Leave places likely to flood (e.g., canyons, ditches, dry stream beds) as quickly as possible Do NOT try to cross flood water; it is flowing more quickly than you think Turn around and drive away from the flood area. DO NOT try to drive through the flooding area. Roads under the water could be washed out. A car that stalls in just two feet of water can be washed away. Nearly one-half of all Flooding in low lying areas fatalities occur in the automobile.

If you are in a car:

If your car stalls, exit the car immediately and get to higher ground Try to be sure that your car has a full fuel tank Move furniture and valuables to higher floors in your home Fill bathtubs, sinks and plastic bottles with clean water Bring outdoor furniture inside If told to evacuate, do so as soon as possible Keep important documents, insurance policies and other valuables in a safe deposit box

If you are indoors:

It is always wise to have a family disaster plan with emergency phone numbers posted near your phone. Make sure each family member knows the address and phone number of two safe havens: a place outside the home and a place outside the neighborhood, in case you can't return to your home right away. Have an out-of-state contact person, in the event the family gets separated. Keep a family disaster kit prepared, including: first aid kit, including prescription medications food and water for 3-7 days (don't forget a can opener!) clothing, including rain gear

battery-operated radio and flashlights, plus extra batteries (NOAA weather radios are best for receiving updates from the national weather service) special items for babies, and elderly or special-needs members of your family

After the flood: Throw out any food that has come in contact with flood waters Boil drinking water before use. Have water tested for purity before drinking. If you're unsure about the water, call the public health authority. Do not visit disaster areas unless you are there to help Report broken utility lines to authorities Make sure that electrical equipment is dried before restarting service

In the US, the worst Flooding in low lying areas-related disaster occurred in Johnstown, PA, in 1889. After heavy rains, a dam broke and the city was flooded. Some 2,200 people died in the resulting flood. In 1954, about 2,000 pilgrims were drowned in a Flooding in low lying areas in Teheran, after waters filled a normally dry gully. And in December 1999, La Nina brought extensive rains that triggered Flooding in low lying areasing in Venezuela. Thousands of homes were washed away, leaving some 150,000 homeless. The death toll was estimated at about 10,000. Maharashtra floods of 2005 The Maharashtra floods of 2005 refers to the flooding of many parts of the Indian state of Maharashtra including large areas of the metropolis Mumbai, a city located on the coast of the Arabian Sea, on the western coast of India, in which at least 5,000 people died. It occurred just one month after similar flooding in Gujarat. The term 26 July, now is, in context always used for the day when the city of Mumbai came to a standstill. Large numbers of people were stranded on the road, lost their homes, and many walked for long distances back home from work that evening. The floods were caused by the eighth heaviest ever recorded 24-hour rainfall figure of 994 mm (39.1 inches) which

lashed the metropolis on 26 July 2005, and intermittently continued for the next day. 644 mm (25.4 inches) was received within the 12-hr period between 8am and 8pm. Torrential rainfall continued for the next week. The highest 24-hour period in India was 1,168 mm (46.0 inches) in Aminidivi in the Union Territory of Lakshadweep on 6 May 2004 although some reports suggest that it was a new Indian record. The previous record high rainfall in a 24-hour period for Mumbai was 575 mm (22.6 inches) in 1974. Other places to be severely affected were Raigad, Chiplun, Khed, Ratnagiri and Kalyan in Maharashtra and the southern state of Goa. The rains slackened between the 28 July and 30 July but picked up in intensity on July 31. The Maharashtra state government declared 27 and 28 as a state holiday for the affected regions. The government also ordered all schools in the affected areas to close on August 1 and August 2. Mumbai Police commissioner Anami Narayan Roy requested all residents to stay indoors as far as possible on July 31 after heavy rains disrupted the city once again, grounding all flights for the day. Overview Thousands of school children were stranded due to flooding and could not reach home for up to 24 hours. The following two days were declared as school and college holidays by the state government. The city region and the suburbs that make up the metropolis of Mumbai received 994 mm (39.1 inches). The rains also impacted the state of Goa and some parts of western Maharashtra on July 25. Adding to the chaos was the lack of public information. Radio stations and many television stations did not receive any weather warnings or alerts by the civic agencies. The Met department blamed it on the lack of sophisticated weather radars which would have given a 3 hour prior warning. Threat to public health The rain water caused the sewage system to overflow and all water lines were contaminated. The Government ordered all housing societies to add chlorine to their water tanks while they decontaminate the water supply. Thousands of animal carcasses floated in the flood waters, raising concerns about the possibility of disease.

Reports in the media warned of the threat of waterborne diseases, and hospitals and health centers geared up to distribute free medicines to check any outbreak.