Are Floods Caused by Heavy Rains? What about Other Factors

A flood includes a natural disaster that caused by hidrometeorological factor. The impact depend on its severity. Are floods caused by heavy rains? When heavy rain occurs, the water level increases. If it continues for several days and isn’t sufficiently absorbed into the ground or stored, it can cause flooding. Flooding also occurred because of other factors.

Are Floods Caused by Heavy Rains?

In this early year, many cases of floods due to extreme weather. That are the heavy rains as a main factor of floods. High-intensity rainfall can increase water discharge, and then causing rivers to overflow. The threat of flooding increases when upstream areas are hit by heavy rains. The abundant flow of water from upstream to downstream causes residential areas to be submerged.

The worst situation occurs if upstream areas lack adequate water catchment areas. Only a little water is absorbed into the ground due to the lack of absorption channels. Ultimately, most rainwater flows into the lowlands, one of which follows the flow of rivers.

Other Causal Factors of Floods

Although heavy rains as the primary factor of floods, other factors are also involved. Water flow, storage, and absorption are the additional factors. If they are not controlled, flooding can occur, and floods occur with different severities. These are some of the other contributing factors that stem from human activity.

1. Deforestation

Now, deforestation has become a current issue related to the environment. If uncontrolled, a drastic reduction in the number of trees really occurs. Because of this phenomenon, the water catchment areas are reduced and causing flooding.

Rainwater is less absorbed into the ground due to the reduced number of trees. It flows directly to lower elevations and pools. The driving force behind deforestation is timber sales and land conversion, such as for illegal mining and plantations.

2. Large Scale Development

A human factor that can trigger flooding is large-scale development. Development that encroaches on green or protected areas is dangerous. If uncontrolled, water catchment areas are drastically reduced due to the construction of buildings.

3. Damage to the River Basins

Damage to river basins significantly triggers flooding because water overflows easily. This damage includes blockages in the flow by trash or waste, river silting, and sediment buildup. Human actions that intentionally narrow rivers are very dangerous. It reduces the capacity of rivers, making them prone to overflowing. During heavy rain, the overflow is even greater.

The Effective Solution

Are floods caused by heavy rains? Yes, it caused floods. Various cases of extreme flooding can be quickly addressed with effective management. This involves directly addressing the triggering factors. The following measures are highly effective in mitigating flooding.

1. Weather Modification

Weather modification operations are often carried out when floodwaters persist. This operation is considered effective in shifting rain clouds, so the rain falls in safer areas. The technique involves cloud seeding by spraying such materials, like salt or silver iodide, into clouds that have the potential to produce rain. The material is distributed using helicopters.

2. Reforestation

The impacts of deforestation can be mitigated by intensive reforestation. Forests or land that were previously cut down and converted for other uses can return to their normal function. Tree roots can absorb rainwater effectively into the soil.

The important area to prevent floods is the upstream area because the water flow comes from the upstream. If there is deforestation in the upstream, only a little water can be absorbed and flows down to the downstream, then pools. So, the upstream areas must be maintained by reforestation. The purpose is to ensure water is absorbed since it is in the upstream.

3. River Watershed Restoration

The river is the primary reservoir and waterway. Its capacity must be maintained to prevent overflow during heavy rains. The trash or waste that are blocked must be cleaned immediately to restore the water flow. The river also needs to be cleaned if it becomes shallow or accumulates sediment to restore its capacity. If a river is narrow, it must be widened until it reaches its normal condition.

Are floods caused by heavy rains? The explanations above showed that flooding has many causal factors. The government and relevant parties are crucial, including in disaster prevention. Warning systems are needed for disseminating information when potential flooding is detected. Warning signals should not be limited to sirens or alarms, but should also include messages.

Written information via emergency messages can be received in real time on mobile phones. It can be realized through an emergency message-sender machine based on SMS (Short Message Service). The machine has a wide range, from 500 m to 2 km, for all operators, without relying on an internet signal. This sophisticated machine is available at smsbroadcaster.com.