fLo0ds

1. 1.Since 1900, floods have taken more than 10,000 lives in the United States alone.
2. 2.Flash floods often bring walls of water 10 to 20 feet high.
3. 3.95% of those killed in a flash flood try to outrun the waters along their path rather than climbing rocks or going uphill to higher grounds.
4. 4.66 % of flood deaths occur in vehicles, and most happen when drivers make a single, fatal mistake trying to navigate through flood waters.
5. 5.Just 6 inches of rapidly moving flood water can knock a person down.
6. 6.A mere 2 feet of water can float a large vehicle even a bus.
7. 7.1/3 of flooded roads and bridges are so damaged by water that any vehicle trying to cross stands only a 50% chance of making it to the other side.
8. 8.The great Mississippi River Flood of 1993 covered an area 500 miles long and 200 miles wide. More than 50,000 homes were damaged, and 12,000 miles of farmland were washed out.
9. 9.Hurricanes, winter storms and snowmelt are common (but often overlooked) causes of flooding.
10. 10.New land development can increase flood risk, especially if the construction changes natural runoff paths.
11. 11.Communities particularly at risk are those located in low-lying areas, near water, or downstream from a dam, but everyone lives in a flood zone — it's just a question of whether you live in a low, moderate, or high risk area.