How are floods caused?

Rains, water bodies, strong winds, hurricanes and tsunamis, dams and levees as well as snow melts are the most common causes of flooding. Find out more. read more

Excess water can also be intentionally released from the dam to prevent it from breaking and that can also cause floods. February 26, 1972 - Buffalo Creek Valley, West Virginia The failure of a coal-waste impoundment at the valley’s head took 125 lives, and caused more than $400 million in damages, including destruction of over 500 homes. read more

Floods are usually caused by extensive rain from storms, when the ground cannot hold the excessive water and the water builds above ground. However, floods can also be caused by storm surges, or very high tides, when the water from the sea floods inland. read more

Localized flooding may be caused or exacerbated by drainage obstructions such as landslides, ice, debris, or beaver dams. Slow-rising floods most commonly occur in large rivers with large catchment areas. The increase in flow may be the result of sustained rainfall, rapid snow melt, monsoons, or tropical cyclones. read more

A flood occurs when a river bursts its banks and the water spills onto the floodplain. Flooding tends to be caused by heavy rain: the faster the rainwater reaches the river channel [river channel: The part of the river that holds the water.], the more likely it is to flood. read more