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Floods

Causes of floods	Effects of floods
A lot of rain or melting snow Too much water for the ground to absorb Dirt that is frozen and can't absorb water Ice or other objects blocking the flow of a river	Damage to property and homes People and animals can be killed Communities in flood zones must rebuilt

Safety Tips for a Flood or Monsoon

• Stay away from flooded areas
• Keep off bridges and washed out roads
• Follow the instructions of the radio, TV or newspapers
• Prepare to evacuate if you live along the coastline, near a river or in low lying areas
• Be sure that cars are parked on higher ground, and other property is securely protected
• Don't go out to sea in a small boat

How to control a flood

• Build dams and levees
• Make a drainage system
• Dredge or widen rivers
• Construct flood walls- walls that block floods
• Use flood gates- gates that let water pass down rivers in a controlled way

U.S. Flood Records

Facts about floods and monsoons

• A monsoon is a weather pattern that often causes floods in Asia.
• The word monsoon comes from Arabic word "mausim" which means "season."
• Some floods are so rare that they occur only every 500 years.