A flood is an occupation by the water of areas or regions usually dry due to the unusual and more or less sudden inflow of a quantity of water over which the river channel itself can drain.
Floods are classified as sudden onset phenomena, although their speed depends on the type:
Flash floods: also known as flash food. Their origin is usually the result of very intense episodes of rainfall.
Fluvial floods: these are primarily seasonal. They are produced by surface runoff waters (rivers, streams, and torrents).
Coastal floods: with water from the sea, caused by tidal waves (tsunamis) or large tides.
The causes of floods can be grouped into three groups that determine whether floods are considered natural, induced, or mixed:
Climatic causes: due to rainfall of abnormal duration and intensity, typhoons, hurricanes, cyclones, and cold drops (frequent in the Spanish Levante region).
Geological causes: these refer to the lithological characteristics of the basin, the hydrographic network (shapes, types), the parts of the riverbeds (conditions, slopes), movements and instability of pitches, and the limitation of river drainage due to the accumulation of sediments at the mouth of the river.
Anthropic causes: are those induced by human action, such as deforestation, invasion of the riverbed by various constructions, dam breakage, etc.
It should be noted that various factors influence the severity of floods, such as the duration of the flood, the depth of the water, the speed of the water, the rate at which the water rises, the frequency with which they occur, and the season.
Due to the water’s high levels, salinity, soil saturation, and poor construction practices in the systems and materials used with floods, dwellings are affected to a greater or lesser extent due to the water’s high levels, salinity, soil saturation, and poor construction practices. The problem is that their identification requires precise technical evaluations because the deficiencies they generate are not visible to the naked eye.
In general, after a flood, the effects on housing tend to be underestimated, causing a cumulative effect that damages structures and increases their vulnerability.
Subjected to extreme weather conditions, unsaturated soil shows saturation with cumulative effects that can trigger a landslide.
Liquefaction phenomena are frequently found in deltas or flood zones of rivers and seas.
Among the most common flood damage northern Minnesota are lippings, missiles, avalanches, and subsequent consequences: loss of soil stability, damage to infrastructures, loss of life, etc.
Infrastructure, loss of life, etc.
Large caves can be produced by material removal and evacuation, with increasing loss of soil stability.
By affecting the bearing capacity of the soil, the structure of the house loses lateral and horizontal supports and with them its load-bearing power and stability.
On the other hand, the effects of heavy rains and floods include higher ambient temperatures and the collapse of sewage systems and drinking water, which creates an ideal scenario for the spread of acute diarrheal diseases.
In addition, the exposure of people to flooded areas and the concentration of dust particles in the air increase respiratory infections and infectious diseases of the skin and eyes. The most frequent skin pathologies, according to Minsa, are infections, excoriations or superficial wounds, allergic dermatitis, pyoderma, and mycosis.
The heat and stagnant water is a favorable scenario for the reproduction of insects and rodents, transmitters of diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, bubonic plague, rabies, or leptospira.
To lessen or repair the flood damage in Northern Minnesota, there are professional companies with extensive experience in the field, if unfortunately, you have been a victim of this natural phenomenon, contact them.
