Why do floods happen? Detailed answer

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Why do floods happen? Detailed answer

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Why do floods happen?

Throughout the history of mankind, a lot of evidence, stories and legends about major floods have accumulated. The reason for this is simple: there have always been floods. Primitive people deliberately settled in the valleys located on the path of floods - because the lands here were fertile. What is a flood? This is a state where water overflows its banks and spreads everywhere.

What causes floods? - accumulation of a large amount of water in the river as a result of heavy rains. Water may come from other sources or reservoirs from where it flows into a river. A river usually surrounds a large area, or "basin", and a strong flow of water from anywhere in this basin causes the water level in the river to rise and flood the banks. Some floods are very helpful. The Nile, for example, every year from time immemorial, along with flooded water, brings fertile silt from the highlands.

On the other hand, the Yellow River in China periodically causes loss of life and destruction. For example, in 1935, due to the flood of this river, 4 million people were left without a roof over their heads! Can floods be prevented? This is probably impossible, because heavy rains come regardless of the will of man. But great efforts are being made to curb the floods, and someday, perhaps, this will be done.

There are three ways to curb floods. One of them is to build dams and make embankments to protect agricultural land in places where water reaches. The second way is to arrange emergency channels, or weirs, to drain excess water. The third way is to contain large reservoirs for the accumulation of water and its gradual discharge into large streams.

Author: Likum A.

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