Facts About Flooding In San Antonio

When torrential rain hits a city, it causes road closure and transport chaos. The rainfall that reached up to 7 inches recently caused major flooding in San Antonio. The International Airport had reported 4.5 inches of rain, making September officially the wettest month in more than 40 years.

Flooding is a common natural disaster in the US, but it can happen anywhere. There are precautions to take in order to protect yourself and property. Bear in mind that torrential rains can occur during any season, especially if you live close to the sea. Those who live in the Midwest are also at greater risk of floods during the hurricane season, which is from June to November.

It is particularly important to be well prepared for flooding even if you live in a low lying area. Floods can occur in several ways including through rivers or due to snowmelt. When the excessive amount of snow or rain cannot be absorbed into the ground, it causes an overflow that blocks waterways.

Extreme floods can break water containment systems such as dams and sewers. When combined with tropical storms or hurricanes, they cause a surge by pushing the rain onto land. However, the duration and speed of floods can significantly vary.

For instance, slowly occurring rain continues to fall for several days. This type of flooding is called a slow onset and can take weeks to accumulate before taking months to recede. On the other hand, rapid onset floods happen more quickly and can accumulate within a matter of hours or days.

The rapid onset floods result from heavy rainfall in mountainous and urban areas, in particular. However, the excess water normally subsides within a few days. Rapid onset floods are also known as flash floods and they occur with little or no warning. These cause dams or water systems to break and those densely populated areas that are situated close to these dams will be at high risk.

The storms from the tropical cyclone push an excessive amount of seawater onto land, which then causes a storm surge. When combined with the tides of the ocean, the water level goes up as high as 35 feet above normal levels. This will result in floods that typically take around 5 to 10 hours to cause destruction. In some urban areas, it can take less time for the water to turn into flash floods.

In densely populated towns, flash floods can fill up parking structures, roads, and basements of properties. This is why the locals are given advance warnings to prepare themselves for the floods. Installing a sump pump in your basement is the best defense against floods. To protect your belongings, move your furniture and other valuables from the basement to upper floors in the house. This should be done as soon as flash flood warnings are given by TV or radio officials. As flash floods can move fast and bring mud or other debris with them, it is important to evacuate your property right away and find your nearest shelter in San Antonio.

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