What Is a Flood?
Here's how "flood" is defined by the National Flood Insurance Program:
"A general and temporary condition of partial or complete inundation of two or
more acres of normally dry land area or of two or more properties (at least one
of which is the policyholder's property) from:
-
Overflow of inland or tidal waters; or
-
Unusual and rapid accumulation or runoff of surface waters from any source; or
-
Mudflow; or
-
Collapse or subsidence of land along the shore of a lake or similar body of
water as a result of erosion or undermining caused by waves or currents of
water exceeding anticipated cyclical levels that result in a flood as defined
above."
So, in plain English, a flood is an excess of water (or mud) on land that's
normally dry.
Floods often happen when bodies of water overflow or tides rise due to heavy
rainfall or thawing snow. But you don't have to live near water to be at risk
of flooding. A flash flood, which can strike anywhere without warning, occurs
when a large volume of rain falls within a short time.
More and more buildings, roads and parking lots are being built where forests
and meadows used to be, which decreases the land's natural ability to absorb
water. Coupled with changing weather patterns, this construction has made
recent floods more severe and increased everyone's chance of being flooded.
Dangerous or damaging floods don't always mean dramatic, rushing waters through
the streets of your hometown. Just a single inch of water can cause costly
damage to your home! Keep this in mind when you're considering flood insurance.