FLOODS

Floods occur when peak discharge exceeds channel capacity, and this may be brought about naturally by intense precipitation, snow and ice-melt, storm surges in coastal regions, and the rifting of barriers, such as ice-dams, or by the failure of man-made structures, by deforestation, urbanisations, (which reduce infiltration and interception), and by engineering works such as land drainage or the straightening of embankments of rivers.

Flood has also been defined as a state of high water level along a river channel or coast that leads to inundation of land which is normally submerged. Flood is an important component of hydrological cycle of a drainage basin. In fact, droughts and floods are the two extremes of the hydrological cycle. While droughts occur due to the failure of rainfall; floods generally occur in the event of excessive rainfall. Thus, flood is a natural hazard which occurs in response to heavy rains and it becomes a disaster when it inflicts heavy loss to life and property.