The Importance Of Flood Insurance And Proper Preparation

The effects of a natural disaster far outweigh the damage to the infrastructure of a building done by a wrecking ball. There are many natural disasters occurring on Earth today. Many people have lost their lives due to lack of preparedness or lack of knowledge about specific natural disasters. They are called “natural disasters” because they are natural forces, also considered “acts of God”. If you think about it, when you were little your mother probably told you to stay out of the rushing water in a river. This is because moving water has a tremendous amount of energy capable of causing huge amounts of damage. A flood is the single most destructive natural disaster recorded throughout human history. In order to ensure the safety of a building, or person, it is important to have flood insurance, to be prepared, and be knowledgeable about the different types of floods.

The maximum flow of water is twenty miles per hour. This might be slow when you are driving, but picture water coming at you at twenty miles per hour. The potential for damage is overwhelming. There are a few flash flood forecasting techniques in place today to help communities prepare for these natural disasters. Radar systems allow forecasters to detect the persistence of heavy rainfall in a specific area and make it possible to estimate the amount of precipitation at a given place. Satellite imagery uses electromagnetic sensors and radiation reflected from the Earth to create an accurate estimate of rainfall. A few types of flood control are also being put into practice. One of these methods is levees, which are also known as flood banks.

According to the author of “Natural Disasters: Floods: A handbook”, “Levees are built on the banks of rivers to artificially increase the capacity of a stream so that at times of high volume that water does not spill into the adjacent land”. A reservoir stores some of the water during floods, and will then release it gradually. There are single and multipurpose reservoirs, the difference being that the multipurpose reservoir is used for irrigation, power generation, or even recreation.

Long term preparedness for natural disasters means ensuring the safety of people, and property such as buildings. Floods can be prevented. The number of injuries and deaths due to natural disasters, especially floods, can be reduced. Foundations of buildings can be built on rollers to reduce the risk of damage done by a flood. This allows the buildings to adjust during tectonic activity. Building codes are put in place to reduce the risk of negative effects of a natural disaster. Simple measures can be done in order to protect your home if you know a flood is coming. You can board up your windows, making it less likely for water to get in through them. The most important prevention process is to not allow people to build in areas that are prone to flooding.

Flood insurance is important for anyone to have, especially if you live in an area prone to flooding. The authors Willard and Ruby Miller describe in their article, “in 1920, it was discovered that flood insurance should be developed for the nation”. Congress did not act on this until 1951 and 1955 after floods occurred. The Federal Flood Insurance Act was then passed in 1956. In order for flood insurance to be available nationwide, the communities hold great responsibilities. Several guidelines are put into practice to ensure that everyone receives flood insurance. The guidelines are as follows: A permit for all flood plan development must be secured. The lowest floor of all residential construction and housing must be elevated above the base flood level. Floodproofing of all nonresidential construction must be elevated to the base flood level. Development is prohibited unless planners can demonstrate that there will be no increase in the base flood level.

There are two main types of floods that can occur. The first type of flood is called a flash flood. Flash floods happen very fast, almost without warning. A flash flood is when a significant amount of rainfall occurs, creating a flood because there is not enough time for the water to drain effectively. The second type of flood is called an overbank flood. An overbank flood occurs when the riverbanks burst its main and spill over the side of the river. These floods carry sediment with them, creating more destruction. According to Maggie Black, “The El Niño effect occurs every few years to a varying degree”. She also explains the El Niño effect as “easterly winds in the South Pacific weaken, allowing warm water, accompanied by rain, to move eastward. Peru, Ecuador, and the Southern United States typically experience increased rainfall”. The normal weather patterns are affected. With the increased rainfall these countries receive, they are more prone to flooding, especially lower lying areas. The La Niña effect is a cooling of the water in the Pacific that occurs at regular intervals and is also associated with the El Niño. The La Niña effect is less damaging than the El Niño, but is still extremely damaging.