The word "flood" means "a flowing of water, river, or sea." Flooding is the most common natural disaster worldwide. It's important to familiarize kids with the effects of weather events and mother nature's surprises. Giving them facts and information about floods can help to prepare them in the event that they experience one.
A Flood Can Happen Anywhere
Floods can happen indoors and outdoors. Outdoor floods are caused by overflowing rivers, heavy rainfall, snow melting or a dam breaking. Indoor floods can be caused by a pipe bursting, a washer machine hose breaking, heavy rainfall or bad plumbing. Both indoor and outdoor floods cause major damage. In the United States, floods cause about $6 billion of damage every year. Indoor floods can leave mold behind even after the cleanup, which can be dangerous to your health.
A Little Can Do A lot
It doesn't take much flooding to do a lot of damage. As little as 6 inches of water that's moving fast can knock a person down and all it takes is 2 feet of water to make a school bus float. Floods can damage homes, bridges, trees and even whole towns. Flood water can be powerful enough to bring a tall building down by eroding the building foundation.
Contaminated Water
Flood water is often contaminated, whether it's indoor or outdoor water. Outdoor flooding can be contaminated with hazardous materials, such as sewage, oil, and sharp objects that get dragged by the rapidly moving water. Indoor flooding can also contain sewage or unclean water from a washing machine or dishwasher. Contaminated flood water can lead to disease outbreaks such as cholera, typhoid and hepatitis A. Floods can often leave people without clean drinking water.
Cautions
Never try to outrun flood waters. If a flood occurs, do your best to get to higher ground. If power goes out, use flashlights, not candles. If an outdoor flood has affected your home, look out for snakes and other creatures that may have come in with the flood water. Throw away any food that may have come in contact with the flood water.
