Floods
Floods
Floods (pronunciation: /flʌdz/) are a natural disaster characterized by an overflow of water that submerges land which is usually dry.
Etymology
The term "flood" comes from the Old English "flod", a word common to Germanic languages (compare German "Flut", Dutch "vloed" from the same root as is seen in flow, float; also compare with Latin "flumen", river).
Definition
Floods are an overflow of a large amount of water beyond its normal limits, especially over what is normally dry land. This can be caused by several events such as heavy rainfall, dam break, or melting snow.
Types of Floods
There are several types of floods including:
- River flood: This occurs when a river overflows its banks due to excessive rainfall or snowmelt.
- Flash flood: This is a rapid flooding of low-lying areas in less than six hours, caused by intense rainfall.
- Coastal flood: This is caused by sea water inundating land areas, often as a result of a sea storm or a storm surge.
- Urban flood: This is a flood that occurs in an urban area, resulting from runoff from paved surfaces unable to be absorbed into the ground.
Related Terms
- Water cycle: The cycle of processes by which water circulates between the earth's oceans, atmosphere, and land.
- Rainfall: The amount of rain falling in a given area in a given time.
- Dam: A barrier constructed to hold back water and raise its level, forming a reservoir used to generate electricity or as a water supply.
- Snowmelt: The runoff produced by melting snow.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Floods
- Wikipedia's article - Floods
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