Floods_ Facts and information
There are few places on Earth where flooding is not a concern. Any area where rain falls is vulnerable to floods, though rain is not the only cause. How floods form A flood occurs when water inundates land that's normally dry, which can happen in a multitude of ways. Excessive rain, a ruptured dam or levee , rapid melting of snow or ice, or even an unfortunately placed beaver dam can overwhelm a river, spreading over the adjacent land, called a flood plain . Coastal flooding occurs when a large storm or tsunami causes the sea to surge inland . Most floods take hours or even days to develop, giving residents time to prepare or evacuate. Others generate quickly and with little warning. So-called flash floods can be extremely dangerous , instantly turning a babbling brook or even a dry wash into rushing rapids that sweep everything in their path downstream. Climate change is increasing the risk of floods worldwide, particularly i...