23 Interesting Flood Facts for Kids (2024 Updated)

A flood is a water level rise that has nowhere to go. Floods can range in depth from a few inches to many feet. Floodwater has a tremendous and deadly force. Heavy rain can transform a brook just ankle-deep into an uncontrollable 30-foot-high tsunami that overwhelms everything in its path in less than an hour. Flooding is fatal regardless of how quickly it occurs or what causes it.

In this article, we will find out some interesting facts about floods for kids and what causes them, so keep on reading to learn more.

Floods are destructive

In comparison to other severe weather-related catastrophes, floods inflict more deaths and property damage. Many people perish while trying to drive or walk through a flooded area. Six inches of running water is more than enough to cause someone to lose their balance. In just two feet of water, an automobile can lose its balance.

The most frequent natural and human causes of floods are:

Heavy rains: Flooding can be explained most simply by heavy rains. Water doesn’t drain nearly as rapidly as it should when it rains. In other words, the drainage systems become clogged, and water rises, occasionally into houses.
Concrete urban drainage basins: There is no ground for water to sink into when using a concrete urban drainage basin. As a result, low-lying areas will flood when those drainage basins are full.
Storm surges and tsunamis: Both storm surges are associated with hurricanes and other storms, and tsunamis, occasionally brought on by underwater earthquakes, can result in considerable flooding.
Channels with steep sides: When there is rapid runoff into lakes, rivers, and other reservoirs, flooding happens frequently, which often occurs in rivers and other channels with steep slopes.
Overflowing rivers: If you reside near a river and locations upstream suffer severe rains, this could cause a significant overflow where you live.
Broken dams: Since a large portion of America’s infrastructure was constructed in the 20th century, it is aging. Aging dams may crumble and release torrents of water on careless homes when heavy rains and rising water levels occur.
Lack of vegetation: Lack of vegetation, on the other hand, does little to prevent water from draining, which might result in flash flooding.
Snowmelt: A winter with a lot of snow and other precipitation can cause spring flooding. After all, they must go somewhere when the snow and ice melt.

Types of floods:

River flood: A flood in a river happens when the water rises above the riverbanks. Every river and stream, especially larger ones that flood every two years, can potentially flood. Extreme rainfall from tropical storm systems, persistent thunderstorms, combined rainfall and snowmelt, and ice jams are frequently blamed for river flooding. These bursts of melting snow or rain raise water levels above riverbanks and flood nearby areas.

Groundwater flood: Flooding from underground water is known as a groundwater flood, and it happens when there is a lot of rain in urban and rural regions. They may last for weeks or months before the Earth can absorb the standing water, which makes them problematic. As a result, they increase the risk of long-term health issues like mold and severely damaged properties.
Coastal flood: A coastal flood is an accumulation of water on land brought on by storm surges, high winds, or waves. Coastal communities are susceptible to flooding because of their proximity to the water, and the threat is expected to increase due to climate change. Most Americans—roughly 50%—live in coastal regions, with Florida, Louisiana, California, New Jersey, and New York among the states most susceptible to coastal flooding.

Flash flood: The deadliest type of flooding is a flash flood. They are brought on by a broken dam or a sudden downpour of severe rain. People may be caught up in them before they have a chance to flee since they take place so swiftly. Flash floods frequently happen in steep areas or near dry riverbeds. A dry riverbed can fill up in a flash flood in minutes. Flash floods can bring walls of water up to 20 feet high.

Sewage flood: Sewage flooding is brought on by sudden, intense rainfall that overwhelms sewage pipes or treatment facilities. The most uncomfortable floods are caused by sewage leaks from pipes, drains, toilets, sinks, or showers. In these circumstances, professionals’ quick response and in-depth clean-up are essential.

Interesting Flood facts for kids:

Floods can be extremely powerful sometimes.

It takes only six inches of swift water to bring someone to the ground. Avoid attempting to cross flooded areas on foot. Frequently, the water is deeper than you think and may be contaminated or contain harmful debris.

Drivers navigating too-deep water account for 66% of flood-related fatalities. Never attempt to drive through the water if you are unsure of its depth. A little car can be carried away by 12 inches of water, and most vehicles can be carried away by two feet.

Floods can sometimes be helpful also.

Floods are not always bad, though. People have always constructed their towns by rivers because they need water for farming and drinking. Occasionally, muddy flood waters leave behind a covering of rich, damp soil. Ancient Egyptians relied on the Nile River‘s annual flooding to aid their crops’ growth.

Floods can carry harmful chemicals.

Go to the highest floor or ground you can find safe during a flood. Make sure to cleanse your skin with soap and sterilized water if it comes in contact with floodwater because you don’t know what all substances could be there in the water.

Floods make wetlands act as sponges.

After the peak flood surges, wetlands operate as natural sponges, holding and gradually releasing floods. A single acre of wetland can hold 330,000 gallons of water when saturated to a depth of one foot, enough to flood thirteen average-sized homes thigh-deep.

People living in Flood-prone areas require regular stocks of essential items.

If you live in a flood-prone area, it is essential to stock up on items for personal hygiene, non-perishable foods, 3 gallons of water per person for three days, a battery-operated radio for weather reports, extra batteries, and first aid supplies.

Floods can create other disasters, too, so you should always take them seriously.

Aside from wildfires, floods are the natural calamity that occurs most frequently. 90% of all-natural disasters in the United States that the President has declared involve flooding. The fact that there are more floods than other natural disasters is one factor in this, but another is that people don’t take floods seriously.

Floodplains are extremely important.

Even though they make up only 2% of the Earth’s land surface, floodplains contribute about 25% of all benefits from ecosystem services dependent on the land. Low-lying areas that frequently flood naturally surround rivers and other water bodies known as floodplains. Floodplains are considered the “lifeblood” of the surrounding areas due to their regular flooding.

Increasing flood losses are a major problem.

Despite spending billions on flood protection, there were more floods, and average annual flood losses rose from $6 billion to $10 billion in the first decade of the new century due to heavy rainfall events and changes in land use.

In case of extreme flooding, we could also experience a food shortage at some point.

Over 25% of flood insurance claims made under the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) are for buildings outside of high-risk floodplains, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Whether in a floodplain or not, everyone in the country is at risk of flooding.

Did you know about the worst flood ever?

The 1931 Yangtze-Huai River floods, also known as the floods in 1939 China, were the deadliest flood on record. According to some estimates, four million people have died. Additionally, this flood is regarded as the worst deadly natural disaster in recorded history.

Conclusion

We hope you learned something interesting from the above-mentioned flood facts for kids. If you’re interested in more facts about some other natural disasters, visit our website.