Floods

9/14/2016 (Permalink)

Floods

Floods generally occur as a result of bad weather ( for example : storms, cyclones, tornadoes or thunderstorms, heavy or persistent rain), melting snow or ice, or the sudden discharge of water.

These events lead to a rise in the water level of major riverbeds or to an accumulation of flow water, to the resurgence of underground rivers or to thaws in low-lying areas adjoining stream banks or river estuaries. In mountainous areas, landslides, earthquakes, and avalanches can cause the overflowing or rupture of hydraulic dams or cause unstable blockages at certain points on rivers, and thus threaten or destroy people and the infrastructure located in the lower parts of valleys.

Bursting or overflowing of hydraulic dams, as well as seismic/tidal waves are special cases which require specific protective measures.

Damage caused by floods can vary greatly according to the nature of the phenomenon at the origin of the flood. They can affect whole regions or certain limited sectors. Moreover, their impact will vary according to whether the event is sudden and violent or a steady but relatively slow rise of flood waters which will inundate a vast area, especially plains situated near or at the mouth of rivers.

The danger is obviously highest in mountainous areas or steep valleys where depressions will be totally levelled or momentarily drowned then covered in debris carried by the flood water (rocks, sand, gravel); this will result in the destruction or burial of all or some of the dwellings, of the economic infrastructure and of vital installations (energy grids, communications and drinking water). This also happens when torrential rainstorms occur in arid regions and deserts where the water cannot penetrate the impermeable soil and, depending on the topography, runs off as surface water destroying homes and settlements over a wide area.

AIl types of floods have grave consequences, mainly because of their secondary effects. Localized flood, or one involving a small rise in water level can lead to large-scale damage, to the interruption or destruction of communication routes (road, rail, etc.) or the loss of infrastructure and damage to the environment (economy, supplies, crops).

Preventive and protective measures
As opposed to other natural phenomenon (landslides) or the causes of certain floods (tidal waves, bad weather), the risk of flood from rising water levels is predictable, although it is difficult to know when it will occur. It is therefore possible to determine the areas at risk.. This is also true in the case of hydraulic dam bursts or overflows since their consequences can be calculated from the volume of water held, the slope and topography of the valley, and the absorptive capacity of the rivers located below.

Long-term preventive and protective measures will essentially consist in regulating the layout of the areas at risk by legislation calling for a systematic appraisal of potential natural dangers, and taking these into account when defining areas that can be built on, and when granting planning permission. These preventive measures will, as far as possible, be completed by an obligation to replant and maintain forests and vegetation, and by the control of upland water streams and rivers. To this end, it can only be recommended that a national hydrological or geological institute responsible for studying these problems and coordinating preventive measures be set up.

At the community level general preventive measures can be summarized as follows:

- Permanent monitoring of the risk of flooding (establishment of a network to measure the water levels of streams/rivers).

- Setting up one or several information and flood warning centers for the population especially with regard to large capacity hydraulic dams.

- Issuing regulations banning building, residing in, and access to identified risk zones and implementing specific protective systems such as alarm signals.

- Building and developing infrastructure that will prevent, avoid or limit floods and protect the population.

- Planning the evacuation of the population likely to be at risk, and instructing them on how to behave in case of a flood.

- Forming well trained and equipped management and rescue teams.

- Lowering water levels in hydraulic dams and increasing the flow of rivers ) preventive measures.

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Since every flood and water damage scenario is a little different, each one requires a unique solution tailored for the specific conditions. However, the overall water restoration process remains the same. The steps below detail our restoration process for the typical water-damaged property.