Learn from the past, prepare for the now!
As you may have seen on the NFIP (National Flood Insurance Program) LinkedIn page, there are often posts about flood facts, including recurring posts for Flood Fact Friday. Now that we’re in hurricane season, it’s more important than ever to know about flooding so you can go out and spread that information.
- About 75% of all Presidential disaster declarations are associated with flooding, but FEMA assistance is not a substitute for insurance and cannot compensate for all losses caused by a disaster. LinkedIn post
- Heavy spring rain, snowmelt and ice jams can all cause rivers and streams to overflow, increasing the risk for floods and flash flooding. River flooding can impact cities and towns throughout the floodplain, far from the river itself. LinkedIn post
- Ice jam flooding is caused when chunks of ice are pushed together to create a dam due to heavy precipitation. As the water begins to build up, this causes a spillover, potentially breaking the ice walls. LinkedIn post
- Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are huge bands of warm tropical air that carry huge volumes of water. They bring vital water to western states but strong ARs also bring serious flood risk from heavy rain or massive snowfalls. LinkedIn post
- While special flood hazard areas face the greatest risk of flooding, more than 40% of flood insurance claims come from moderate- to low-risk areas. LinkedIn post
More to learn!
Prepare yourself and your family for potential flooding by getting flood insurance, knowing your flood risk, taking household inventory and storing important documents.
Steps to mitigate your flood risk also include elevating and anchoring utilities, waterproofing your basement, clearing debris from gutters and elevating or moving your furniture.
Want to learn more?
Visit https://www.agents.floodsmart.gov for more flooding resources and information.