Flood is a natural occurring disaster that is inevitable; it is the overflowing of water on the land. There are many factors involve which cause flood this includes rainstorms, broken dams, slow water run-off, tsunamis, hurricanes and underwater volcanic eruptions.
Water is important in the lives of people. In fact, an adult male human body is about 60% water while 55% in adult female. ¾ of our earth’s surface is covered with ocean, making it the only known planet in our solar system to be able to support life. But when time comes that these water builds up to a dangerous stat and causes flood, they cause a lot of trouble and damage to our lives.
The effect of floods in ourselves and surroundings are divided into three categories:
Long Term Effects / Primary Effects
• Physical Damage of Floods – It can be very massive. These ranges from broken bridges, lost and damaged cars and other vehicles, broken buildings, punctured or broken sewer systems, broken or cracked roadways, and damages on canals and other type of structures and infrastructures.
• Casualties – It is another very disastrous effect of flood in a community is the lost and death of people and livestock. These livestock can include poultry, and piggery. Damages in plants are also severe. If the situation is severe, epidemics and other diseases may also occur.
Secondary Effects
• Water Contamination – When a water supply system is affected by the flood, contamination of dirty waters to the water system may occur. This results in water supply shortage to the affected area. Clean drinking water supply becomes very scarce.
• Crops and Food Supply Shortage – When a flood strikes and area, the livestock and crops of the area is greatly affected and therefore causes a food supply shortage resulting to hunger.
• Diseases – A flood brings many deaths on animals, and these dead animal bodies contain bacteria. Having these bacteria in the water and community causes different kinds of diseases. When a flood occurs, it is expected that it brings with it different kinds of diseases.
Tertiary/Long-Term Effects – One effect of flood in the community, which will last for a long time, is economic hardships. This can be a decline in tourism, cost of rebuilding infrastructures, food shortage thus resulting to price increase and many more.
Water is a very great natural occurring substance in our planet. Without it, we humans will not be able to survive. If our world is taken with proper care, this disaster can be lessened.