Urban areas with impermeable surfaces prevent water from penetrating the soil, which can result in flash floods. True or False?
Enrich your learning:
Flash Floods:
- Excessive or continuous rainfall over a period of days, or during particular seasons, can lead to stagnation of water and cause flooding.
- Flash floods refer to such a situation, but occurring in a much shorter span of time, and are highly localised.
- According to the US’s meteorological agency, the National Weather Service, flash floods are caused when rainfall creates flooding in less than 6 hours.
Factors apart from rainfall:
- Flash floods can be caused by factors apart from rainfall, like when water goes beyond the levels of a dam.
- In India, flash floods are often associated with cloudbursts (sudden, intense rainfall in a short period of time).
- Himalayan states face the challenge of overflowing glacial lakes, formed due to the melting of glaciers
- Flash flooding commonly happens more where rivers are narrow and steep, so they flow more quickly.
- They can occur in urban areas located near small rivers, since hard surfaces such as roads and concrete do not allow the water to absorb into the ground.
Why in news?
Himachal Pradesh expressed concern over the loss of life and property due to torrential rains and flash floods.
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