Table of Contents Water Water Everywhere 4 Types of Floods 10 Preventing Floods 22 When a Flood Strikes 32 Predicting Floods Saving Lives 38 How You Can Help When Disaster Strikes 45 Glossary 46 Index 47 Show What You Know 47 Websites to Visit 47 About the Author 48
Water Water Everywhere Most of the time water is a good thing We need water to drink and to grow our food We wash with water and use it to power machines Water can also be fun to play in Many people enjoy swimming fishing and boating in water all over the world People could not survive without water However too much water can be dangerous and devastating 4
A flood occurs when water covers an area of land that is usually dry Floods are one of the most common natural disasters on Earth Most of the world’s population lives near rivers or oceans so flooding is a big problem for people every year all over the world Floods affect more than 500,000,000 people every year and cause billions of dollars in damage 5
