Flood

Flood
The word "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 fluctus, flumen). Deluge myths are mythical stories of a great flood sent by a deity or deities to destroy civilization as an act of divine retribution, and are featured in the mythology of many cultures. A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Flooding may result from the volume of water within a body of water, such as a river or lake, which overflows or breaks levees, with the result that some of the water escapes its usual boundaries. While the size of a lake or other body of water will vary with seasonal changes in precipitation and snow melt, it is not a significant flood unless such escapes of water endanger land areas used by man like a village, city or other inhabited area. Floods can also occur in rivers, when flow exceeds the capacity of the river channel, particularly at bends or meanders. Floods often cause damage to homes and businesses if they are placed in natural flood plains of rivers. While flood damage can be virtually eliminated by moving away from rivers and other bodies of water, since time out of mind, people have lived and worked by the water to seek sustenance and capitalize on the gains of cheap and easy travel and commerce by being near water. That humans continue to inhabit areas threatened by flood damage is evidence that the perceived value of living near the water exceeds the cost of repeated periodic flooding.
Effects
Primary effects
Physical damage Can damage any type of structure, including bridges, cars, buildings, sewerage systems, roadways, and canals. Washes away all the infrastructures of the affected region, greatly damages the foodcrops and households, takes away many human lives
Secondary effects
Water supplies Flood water contains mud, filth, different types of stones, pebbles, gavels & sand particles. So when flood water passes over the affected land it mixes with the drinking water very often. As a result contamination of water takes place. Clean drinking water becomes scarce. People become compelled to drink unhealthy and unhygienic water. It seems like water water everywhere but not a single drop to drink
Diseases Due to flood there arises unhygienic conditions everywhere. Spread of many water-borne diseases takes place like Diarrhea, Jaundice, Cholera etc. And sometimes if the affected place is located any remote region where relief and medicines can not be reached or even if may be reached in small quantity then there is a possibility of an epidemic to break out and ultimately it can cause a high death toll even in the after flood period.
Crops and food supplies Shortage of food crops can be caused due to loss of entire harvest. Farmers losing their entire harvest may not even have the money to buy food materials. Moreover due to non harvesting or little harvesting of crops resulted from flood supply of food crops in the market goes on climbing. The prices go beyond the reach of common people and ultimately mass starvation and famine may take place. However, lowlands near rivers depend upon river silt deposited by floods in order to add nutrients to the local soil.
Trees Trees are one of the integral parts of the environmental balance. They support the soil from getting washed away with the flood. However many Nontolerant species can die from suffocation caused by the flood for them. They can not withstand with the water logging condition.
Emergency Transport - Transport links destroyed, so it becomes hard to get emergency aid to those who need it. Damage of utility connections The electricity lines gets distorted, torn up at some places. Sometimes it may cause serious accidents if people are not aware. They can step onto water marshes that are already electrified. The gas pipelines may be damaged. Cooking may be hampered due to this. Moreover during this time the dry firewood is not available. As a result life becomes difficult. The water supply cant provide with usable water. The water that comes through often contains dirt and wastes and is seriously polluted which cant be drunk nor used for bathing or washing clothes because if you do there is a fair possibility that you might catch up with skin diseases.
Tertiary/long-term effects
Economic As a result of the flood the economic condition of the affected region become worsened. The total infrastructure gets destroyed. It takes a great amount to rebuild them. Flood has a huge impact on trade and commerce. As transportation links have been destroyed the transportation of commodities become difficult. Supply falls making the price level soaring sky high. Sales are less as there is demand in the market but very few has the capability to back that with purchasing power. Overall production decreases. The annual GDP falls down.
Flood management Preventive

1.Tree plantation: Trees protect the coastal land and ultimately saves it from inundation and flood.It helps tp hold the soil and protects it from erosion. So tree plantation can be very much effective in flood prevention. 2.Embankment:To prevent the flood strong embankments may be made around the river banks and coastal areas. The land areas there may be developed by putting more soil over after bringing it from the highlands. 3.Drainage and swerage system:Proper drainage system should be established so as to make the flood water flow away and there doesnt arise any water logging condition even with the slightest of rainfall 4.Dredging of the rivers: The rivers should be dredged quite often so as to increase the depth of the river. As a result the river water can flow easily without any hindrance and gets no chance to swell up. Moreover the banks should be made free from landgrabbers because they reduce the rivers width and as a result floods more often take place
Mitigative
5. Building of shelter houses: Shelter houses should be establised so that at the time of flood people from the affected areas may be rescued and amassed there.It should be atleast 10 meter high from flood plain. 6.Emergency relief fund:Emergency relief fund containing not only food items but also the medicines should be established. Crop safety may be ensured by storing them early in a disaster time granary

Flood

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Flood management Preventive

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