Tag: precautions for natural disasters

Forests naturally absorb water from rainfall and slowly release the water into the rivers. After deforestation, rainfall flows too quickly to the rivers, stripping the topsoil and causing erosion and flooding to occur. When these floods break the river's banks, further problems arise as the path of the river changes and further soil erosion occurs along the river's new path. Deforestation also makes an area more arid, contributing to droughts.

Flash floods are defined by the speed of flooding, not the source or location of flooding. While flash floods are often caused by heavy rainfall, they can also result from other events, such as drain blockages and cloud bursts

A flood is an overflow of water that submerges land which is usually dry. The European Union (EU) Floods Directive defines a flood as a covering by water of land not normally covered by water. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide.