Causes of Floods

Floods are caused by many factors: heavy precipitation, severe winds over water, unusual high tides, tsunamis, or failure of dams, levels, retention ponds, or other structures that contained the water. Periodic floods occur on many rivers, forming a surrounding region known as the flood plain. Even when rainfall is relatively light, the shorelines of lakes and bays can be flooded by severe winds—such as during hurricanes—that blow water into the shore areas. Coastal areas are sometimes flooded by unusually high tides, such as spring tides, especially when compounded by high winds and storm surges.

During times of rain or snow, some of the water is retained in ponds or soil, some is absorbed by grass and vegetation, some evaporates, and the rest travels over the land as surface runoff. Floods occur when ponds, lakes, riverbeds, soil, and vegetation cannot absorb all the water. Water then runs off the land in quantities that cannot be carried within stream channels or retained in natural ponds, lakes, and man-made reservoirs. About 30 percent of all precipitation is in the form of runoff small and that amount might be increased by water from melting snow. River flooding is often caused by heavy rain, sometimes increased by melting snow. Aflood that rises rapidly, with little or no advance warning, is called a flash flood. Flash floods usually result from intense rainfall over a relatively small area, or if the area was already saturated from previous precipitation.

Effects of Floods

Flooding has many impacts. As most people are well aware, the immediate impacts of flooding include loss of human life, damage to property, destruction of crops, loss of livestock, and deterioration of health conditions owing to waterborne diseases. As communication links and infrastructure such as power plants, roads and bridges are damaged and disrupted, some economic activities may come to a standstill, people are forced to leave their homes and normal life is disrupted. Floods can also traumatise victims and their families for long periods of time. The loss of loved ones has deep impacts, especially on children. Displacement from one's home, loss of property and disruption to business and social affairs can cause continuing stress. For some people the psychological impacts can be long lasting.

It damages property and endangers the lives of humans and other species. Rapid water runoff causes soil erosion and concomitant sediment deposition elsewhere (such as further downstream or down a coast). The spawning grounds for fish and other wildlife habitats can become polluted or completely destroyed. Some prolonged high floods can delay traffic in areas which lack elevated roadways. Floods can interfere with drainage and economic use of lands, such as interfering with farming. Structural damage can occur in bridge abutments, bank lines, sewer lines, and other structures within floodways. Waterway navigation and hydroelectric power are often impaired. Financial losses due to floods are typically millions of dollars each year.

Some Flood-Prone Areas In Cainta

If you are near one of the places stated below, please be cautious when heavy downfall occur:

- Cainta Greenland

- San Andres

- San Juan

- Midtown Village

- Parolla

- DM

- DA Camp

- Ramaville

- Verde Grande

In Case Of Potential Danger From Flooding

It is smart to prepare and be ready before a disaster arrives. Keep in mind and remember the following information stated below:

- Build canals, dikes, and drains. They can help divert excess water from flood-prone areas and divert them to safer places.

- Always clean existing canals and waterways. Also drain drainages regularly. Clogged drains and congested canals filled with trash can interfere the normal flow of water, thus risking an area to flooding. This was the case with my community just a month ago, we dug up a pipe-drain system below our garage-ways to help drain the possible incoming floodwater during rainy days.

- Harvest rainwater. It can be cleaned and safe for drinking, cooking, and other important work. Every bucket of rainwater converted to drinking water can reduce flooding by a few centimeters but it all makes a difference!

- Avoid as far as possible living in an area at risk from flooding.

- Conform to the laws on land development and environmental protection, especially with regard to building restrictions and technical security measures intended for installation substances and waste material likely to cause major damage to man and the environment in the event of a disaster.

- Find out the highest levels reached by floods in the past and the speed at which the water rose. Keep up-to-date with the protective measures to be taken immediately and, in particular, obey the specific prescriptions on buildings and other installations.

- Know the alarm signals and behavioural rules, especially the evacuation zones and routes.

- Always keep an emergency kit ready for the family, as well as enough supplies of food and drink to last the estimated length of the emergency situat ion.

- Plan how to reinforce the building and neighbouring structures, and to protect vital installations from floods (electricity, gas, water, heating, evacuation of waste water).

- Take into account the risk of flooding when fitting the interior of the house, especially by placing furniture, valuable goods or those susceptible to water damage, as well as pollutants, on higher levels together with reserves of food, drinking water, a portable radio and a torch.

- Foresee a reserve of materials that are useful in case of a flood, for example, bricks, plaster, cement, sand, jute or plastic bags, textiles, ropes, tools, etc.

During A Disaster

- Keep calm, do not panic. - Warn neighbours and give priority to helping the handicapped, children and the elderly.

- Keep informed of the danger and how it may evolve, listen to the radio but do not use the telephone without good reason (do not overload the lines).

- Switch off electricity, gas and central heating. If there is enough time move valuable or delicate objects and pollutant products to the higher levels of the strongest parts of the building.

- Implement the measures planned for the immediate protection of people and the environment (if possible untie and set free animals from stables and other such buildings).

- If obliged to leave your house, lock it securely and make your way on foot to the evacuation zone using the route indicated by the authorities (especially in cases of hydraulic dam bursts).

- Take with you only what is strictly necessary (emergency baggage, identity and personal papers, medicines).

- Do not cross flooded areas on foot or in a vehicle. If necessary secure yourself by holding onto ropes or cables.

- Collaborate with public safety bodies and the services helping the homeless.

After The Flood

- Keep calm, do not panic.

- Check and see if there any injured people in the vicinity and, if possible, help them.

- Listen to the radio but do not use the telephone unnecessarily.

- Collaborate with official rescue and assistance services helping the victims.

- Collaborate in the identification of bodies.

- Make yourself available to help with rehabilitation work.