Flood : An environmental disaster.
Flood is an environmental disaster and is mostly associated with torrential rainfall over a long period. Floods occur in the low-lying plains adjacent to a river or a water body during monsoon. This is a seasonal phenomenon. People living in flood-prone areas are often at high risk.
The primary natural factors causing flood are high intensity and long duration of rainfall and meandering courses of rivers. Besides, deforestation, faulty agricultural practices and blockage of the natural flow of the river are major human-made causes of flood. All these factors work together and cause significant loss to lands and people living there.
Floods cause massive damage to life and property. People living in flood-prone areas get homeless as a result of devastating floods. Agricultural lands are washed away. Floods often disrupt transport and communication. Floods distribute a large amount of alluvial deposits on the adjacent areas, which benefit the local people.
