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public information statement
national weather service hastings ne
637 am cdt sun mar 15 2009
monday march 16th through friday march 20th has been designated as
flood safety awareness week. flooding is a coast to coast threat to
the united states and its territories in all months of the year.
flood safety awareness week is intended to raise public awareness
and highlight some of the many ways floods can occur ... the hazards
associated with floods ... and what you can do to save life and
property.
flooding is the number 1 storm related killer ... not
tornadoes ... severe thunderstorms ... or even winter storms. it ranks
only behind heat waves in the number of deaths for all weather
related events. flooding takes many different forms ... from river
flooding ... to flash flooding ... to snowmelt flooding. it can occur in
any month of the year and at any time of the day.
floods can arrive within minutes or over a longer period of time.
they can roll boulders the size of cars ... destroy buildings and
bridges ... and take lives. knowing how to react when floods threaten
can mean the difference between life and death.
a majority of flood related deaths occur when people drive onto
flooded roadways or walk through moving water. many people do not
realize that as little as 6 inches of quick moving water can knock a
person off of their feet ... and that 18 to 24 inches of water can
float most vehicles ... including trucks and sport utility vehicles.
while most floods cannot be prevented ... there are simple steps you
can take to help protect your life and property.
throughout this week ... the national weather service will be
providing the public with a different flood topic each day. topics
discussed will include hydrological services ... flood
terminology ... flood risk and insurance ... and flood safety tips.
additional information about flooding and flood safety ... including
educational materials ... brochures ... and articles ... can be found at
www. floodsafety. noaa. gov.
$$