Floods
and the league of superheroes who fight against them!
What Causes Floods?
- Flooding is caused from too much water in rivers, when it rains. Flooding can also be caused on the coast, when the water level exceeds the low-lying areas. How fast the land absorbs water and the runoff rate contribute to the amount of flooding from precipitation.
- Snow melt runoff is the most common cause of flooding in Canada. During the spring melt, huge quantities of water is released. The large floods usually occur in the Spring, when the snow and ice is melting from Winter.
- Flash floods that are caused by a torrential downfall are extremely dangerous. The rainfall on the ground is so heavy that the ground is incapable of absorbing the water quickly enough, causing a high runoff rate.
- Canadian's living on the coast can experience flooding and property damage as a result of high winds and wave action.
Where this Disaster has Happened in Canada.
Another Canadian Flood occurred on from May 26-29, 2012 that stretched from Thunder Bay to Montreal. An intense storm overflowed sewer systems and caused the flooding of streets, homes and buildings. The total was about $200 million in damage.
The third-most-recent flood that occurred in Canada was the Assiniboine River Flood. People called it a "one-in-300-year flood." Many people, businesses and families were affected. Canadian forces were also called in to assist the evacuation of the refugees.
Cities in Canada Vulnerable to Floods and What the Experts are Saying.
Experts are beginning to say that urban flooding is likely going to get worse. The outdated storm drains and sewers has resulted in the increased flooding in homes and buildings. (The old and outdated system can not cope with today's larger, more severe storms) Major cities like Toronto or Calgary are highly vulnerable to flooding.
MEET THE HEROES!
The Meteorologist
The Architect
The Educators
The League of Super Heroes!
The Meteorologist is a superhero who protects us from floods! Their jobs are to plan and predict floods, so we can be ready for when they hit! The Meteorologist uses satellites and weather radars to predict the severity of the upcoming storms. By predicting the severity and tracking the weather systems, they can predict if there is going to be a flood or not, because of the rainfall and precipitation. By knowing when a storm or flood is going to hit, we can better plan ourselves to stay safe in a state of emergency.
The Architect is a superhero who also protects us from the dangers of floods!. Their job is to design buildings and roads to reduce and minimize the impact of floods. Architects can design sewers that will flow better and get rid of water better, so that the rainwater will not back up into people's homes and flood their basements. Next, The Architect can design homes and roads to be at a higher elevation if they are near a body of water. This will greatly reduce the impact of a flood because the water would not be able to reach the elevated homes and roads.
Lastly, The Educators such as News Reporters and Teachers help teach others about staying safe from floods. News Reporters can use their power of television to broadcast and tell a large audience how to stay safe and the precautions they should take during a flood. Our Teachers and Principals can also teach us how to stay safe from floods. A few months ago, our principal spoke to us over the announcements about staying safe from rivers and streams when they are melting in the spring thaw.