What and where are the dangers?

Identifying the risks of flooding and preventing from it’s damages is becoming crucial in these times. As in the course of climate change and it’s thermal runaway unpredictable extreme weather conditions occur throughout the world more frequently with higher intensity. This means: which not long ago we have been considering for being disastrous events once in a century, nowadays specialists expect to happen once every 10 years by the end of the century. And fatally almost all of our flood prevention infrastructures are designed for these once in a 100 years catastrophes - apparently those will be topped quite frequently in the future.
 
This involves sudden inundations - also widely spreading at formerly unaffected areas. Most precious and idyllic locations are being swamped and devastated in moments - by unsuspected forces causing enormous damages, even claiming lives during and after the event. Nature does not make any distinction.

Not perceivable - not predictable
The speciousness about this kind of danger: It is not perceivable before nor is it predictable in a wider time context.  Both factors are fatal for people: First they feel safe, where actually they are not. Second if they start to prepare at the moment of the catastrophe literally appearing at the horizon, for many of the precautions it is too late.

Flood risk is not restricted to shores of rivers and large waters
Take seriously into account, what many do not recognize, yet: Flood risk is not restricted to shores of rivers and large waters and the range and rate of involved regions is even rising.
Through various ways and interaction of nature and topography life threatening inundations can arise more quickly and devastating than one would imagine: Even smallest brooks do rise in shortest time to torrents. This way tiny rivulets, hollows, dips, trenches, and of course slopes are in worst cases factors of destruction. More over that many other dangers ripple concealed, through subterranean passages, or one considers them - deceptively - in a safe distance.

Where present, the intention and function of preventive infrastructures, such as dams and dikes, certainly is to reduce damages and losses. Still nothing is absolutely safe.

Hence proactive personal provision of additive protective measures that are targeted and individually adjusted to the state and needs of both: location and building makes very much sense for the majority of homes, estates and also public buildings. In simple terms: climate flood protection is complex, but what experts have already figured yet: protection via super 

Danger by flood disaster

After heavy rainfalls all in a sudden levels of small waters can rise many times above their average. The time span between the emergence and the occurrence of the flooding usually is very short, correspondingly is the given time for advance warnings. This means those disasters can occur at very short or without notice at all.

Also on bigger waters and rivers lasting rainfalls or snow and ice melting periods have strong effects. Mostly their water levels do rise with more time, hence here is more space for advance warnings. Causes for flooding and inundation are manifold, they can occur combined and enforce each other. Further causes and risks for flooding are storm surges and the overflow of flood control facilities. Often dikes, dams, walls, reservoirs or mobile systems of flood control come into operation. Especially in the course of climate change with more extreme natural events, these measurements do not necessarily banish the inundation threat for the people living behind them.
 
The risk potential for example rises with long lasting high water levels, so called QUALMWASSER  seepage water can arise, seeping through the dike or the protection wall. In case of higher water levels dikes and dams can overflow and the areas behind, which they are meant to protect, will be inundated. More than that with some more time of high flooding levels dikes even can be soaked. In this process small soil grains are flushed out off the dikes` interiors. As a result dikes loose there stability, which finally can lead to their burst.

Want to know how you can prepare your property against the danger of flood disaster? Click here
 

Danger by heavy rains

Heavy rains and torrents are weather phenomena which in future will occur more frequently. They can happen anywhere to anyone, as both do strike „autarchic“ - independently from any stretch of water.
Even in supposed safe distance from bodies of water exist flood risks, mainly resulting from waters draining off the terrain’s surfaces. Key role plays here the topography - given by nature or by men’s changes - as it directs flow paths. Those flow paths might be slopes, curves, depressions and hollows of any kinds (gentle or steep - gradually, deep or smooth). Any house and estate to be situated at such a flow path are placed in danger to be inundated.
Another danger that heavy rainfalls can evoke come from gutters and downspouts (eavestroughs) : At the moment they can not channelize the water masses anymore, so that they are overflowing without control, it happens that these excessive waters can enter the building.

Want to know how you can prepare your property against the danger of heavy rains? Click here

Danger by sewer backwater

Every public sewer system has a limited water retaining capacity, as those system capacities can be exceeded during extreme wet weather events.

The via these incidents caused overloads and blockage in the main sewer lines result directly in sewage basement backups, or the from the channels spilling waters do spread over the streets, and from there entering the houses.

Both very common scenarios. And besides the water damage it it brings along very unpleasant problems of hygiene.

Want to know how you can prepare your property against the flood danger through sewer backwater?  Click here

Danger by groundwater

An underestimated danger: Also through the subsoil flooding can emerge and penetrate your property. Usually this takes place at less pace. But these groundwater floodings can produce more profound and permanent harm due to long lasting wetness, as the water needs more time to decrease back to normal levels.

Here, too, it is advisable to get wise through the right questions before buying the house in order not to get wise afterwards by damage. Also for groundwater damages watch out for slopes, hollows and the proximity to water, these factors are particularly vulnerable. To assess the situation on site, also respectively any known pre-damages, make sure  to inform yourself in advance in the neighbourhood as well as at the local authorities and water associations according to known pre-damage and the situation on site.

Want to know how you can prepare your property against the flood danger through groundwater? Click here

Prevent now

The four most effective precautionary measures of flood-events:

Risk

Still people tend to underestimate the danger of floods - often enough with fatal consequences. Read here what you can do to minimize your flood risk.

Prepare your proberty

Protecting your property is a key part of helping to reduce the impact of flooding on your home or business. Here are some very helpful measures.

Behavior

Every approaching flood is a case of emergency. Show the right behavior in case of heavy rain or flood to protect yourself and your loved ones! As well as your household.

Information

Here are useful information’s about weather warning forecast, flood maps and how to learn more about flood hazards and risks.

What you should know about floods.