over the past hundred years no other natural disaster in the US has caused
natural disaster in the US has caused
natural disaster in the US has caused more death and destruction than floods
more death and destruction than floods
more death and destruction than floods they can happen anyplace any day anytime
they can happen anyplace any day anytime
they can happen anyplace any day anytime and they will likely only get worse as
and they will likely only get worse as
and they will likely only get worse as Pippa cluster around coastal regions and
Pippa cluster around coastal regions and
Pippa cluster around coastal regions and flood plains our growing population will
flood plains our growing population will
flood plains our growing population will confront the awesome power of water for
confront the awesome power of water for
confront the awesome power of water for thousands of years farmers have depended
thousands of years farmers have depended
thousands of years farmers have depended on seasonal floods the water’s irrigated
on seasonal floods the water’s irrigated
on seasonal floods the water’s irrigated their props and fertilize their lands
their props and fertilize their lands
their props and fertilize their lands today excess water is channeled into
today excess water is channeled into
today excess water is channeled into reservoirs and power hydroelectric dams
reservoirs and power hydroelectric dams
reservoirs and power hydroelectric dams but when water levels rise suddenly far
but when water levels rise suddenly far
but when water levels rise suddenly far more than the ground can absorb a flood
more than the ground can absorb a flood
more than the ground can absorb a flood occurs flash floods are a perfect
occurs flash floods are a perfect
occurs flash floods are a perfect example sudden storms unleash a
example sudden storms unleash a
example sudden storms unleash a torrential downpour
torrential downpour
torrential downpour the runoff moves with surprising force
the runoff moves with surprising force
the runoff moves with surprising force at a depth of two feet the water can
at a depth of two feet the water can
at a depth of two feet the water can push aside a car
push aside a car
push aside a car in fact half of all deaths from flash
in fact half of all deaths from flash
in fact half of all deaths from flash floods and power vehicles but floods
floods and power vehicles but floods
floods and power vehicles but floods occur in many other ways
occur in many other ways
occur in many other ways heavy rains and thawing snow fall and
heavy rains and thawing snow fall and
heavy rains and thawing snow fall and over
over
over storm surge is caused by hurricanes and
storm surge is caused by hurricanes and
storm surge is caused by hurricanes and tsunamis inundate the coastline
tsunamis inundate the coastline
tsunamis inundate the coastline landslides and mudflows can displace
landslides and mudflows can displace
landslides and mudflows can displace large volumes of water dams great levees
large volumes of water dams great levees
large volumes of water dams great levees fail in the Great Mississippi Flood of
fail in the Great Mississippi Flood of
fail in the Great Mississippi Flood of 1993 several of these factors came into
1993 several of these factors came into
1993 several of these factors came into play over 10,000 square miles of the
play over 10,000 square miles of the
play over 10,000 square miles of the Midwestern United States for overwhelmed
Midwestern United States for overwhelmed
Midwestern United States for overwhelmed with rain in a cruel twist the earthen
with rain in a cruel twist the earthen
with rain in a cruel twist the earthen dams known as levees along the Upper
dams known as levees along the Upper
dams known as levees along the Upper Mississippi River forced the water to
Mississippi River forced the water to
Mississippi River forced the water to float downstream faster and stronger
float downstream faster and stronger
float downstream faster and stronger communities further downriver were hit
communities further downriver were hit
communities further downriver were hit with the full brunt of the Mississippi
with the full brunt of the Mississippi
with the full brunt of the Mississippi two-thirds of all the levees were
two-thirds of all the levees were
two-thirds of all the levees were breached though towns rallied to protect
breached though towns rallied to protect
breached though towns rallied to protect their lives and livelihoods the damage
their lives and livelihoods the damage
their lives and livelihoods the damage was still immense over ten billion
was still immense over ten billion
was still immense over ten billion dollars in damages 56,000 homes flooded
dollars in damages 56,000 homes flooded
dollars in damages 56,000 homes flooded or destroyed and some 50
at the start of this century another
at the start of this century another powerful flood wreaked havoc this one
powerful flood wreaked havoc this one
powerful flood wreaked havoc this one coming from the sea the storm surges of
coming from the sea the storm surges of
coming from the sea the storm surges of Hurricane Katrina submerged 80% of the
Hurricane Katrina submerged 80% of the
Hurricane Katrina submerged 80% of the city of New Orleans over 1,800 people
city of New Orleans over 1,800 people
city of New Orleans over 1,800 people died in the floods the damage has been
died in the floods the damage has been
died in the floods the damage has been estimated at over eighty billion dollars
in some ways the New Orleans disaster
in some ways the New Orleans disaster was unique much of the city lies below
was unique much of the city lies below
was unique much of the city lies below sea level and despite years of warning
sea level and despite years of warning
sea level and despite years of warning the city was woefully unprepared to
the city was woefully unprepared to
the city was woefully unprepared to handle a breach of the levees which kept
handle a breach of the levees which kept
handle a breach of the levees which kept it dry
see levels may rise coastlines could
see levels may rise coastlines could erode rain patterns might change snow
erode rain patterns might change snow
erode rain patterns might change snow packs could melt and then the waters
packs could melt and then the waters
packs could melt and then the waters would rush in
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