Floods

Earthquakes

Season

Spring thaw -Late February -April, hurricane season, monsoon season

No season

Areas at Most Risk

All states-proximity to rivers, streams, low lying areas, proximity to mountains and steep hills- can produce rapid runoff, flood other areas. Proximity to deserts – monsoon risk.

California, Nevada, Washington, Alaska, Tennessee, Missouri, Kentucky, Arkansas, Illinois, Montana, Wyoming.

General Frequency

Caused by spring rains, heavy storms, rapid snow melt, dam failures. 76,000 dams in U.S.

U.S. annual frequency:

Worldwide frequency:

very minor 1-3=1321

very minor 1-3=1,300,000

minor 3-3.9 = 1148

minor 3-3.9 = 130,000

light – 4-4.9 = 355

light – 4-4.9 = 13,000

moderate – 5-5.9 = 47

moderate – 5-5.9 = 1319

strong – 6-6.9 = 5

strong – 6-6.9 = 134

major – 7-7.9 = 1

major – 7-7.9 = 17

great – 8 or higher = 0

great – 8 or higher = 1

Dangers

Flash floods, standing water on roads, inability to escape, contaminated water, limited advance notification.

Falling objects, fires, no advanced warning, loss of utilities, inability to travel.

Intensity Rating

"Minor flooding – minimal property damage, some inconvenience or public threat.

Moderate flooding – Roads and buildings near streams may be flooded, moving of some property to higher ground, some evacuations of people.

Major flooding – Roads and buildings extensively flooded, significant evacuation of people and moving of property to higher ground."

"Richter Scale-measures energy discharged from quake:

1 = 30 pounds of TNT = large blast at construction site

2 = 1 ton = large quarry or mine blast

3 = 29 tons

4 = 1,000 tons = small nuclear weapon

4.5 = 5,100 tons = average total energy of a tornado

5 = 32,000 tons

6 = 1 million tons

7 = 32 million tons = largest thermonuclear weapon

8 = 1 billion tons = San Francisco quake of 1906

9 = 32 billion tons

10 = 1 trillion tons

12 = 160 trillion tons = Earth's daily receipt of solar energy"

Damage

No rating scale in place.

"Modified Mercalli Scale-based on visible observations of damage

I -II. Very few feel it, few on upper floors notice.

III-IV. Noticeable to most indoors, some outdoors, not recognized as earthquake-truck passing by, dishes, windows rattle, doors disturbed.

V-VI. Most or all feel it, many wake up, some dishes and windows broken, clocks may stop, objects overturned, plaster may fall, slight damage.

VII. Negligible damage in strong buildings, considerable damage in ordinary buildings w/partial collapse. Furniture overturns, chimneys, stacks fall.

VIII. Considerable damage ordinary buildings, frame structures out of line, partial collapse, buildings shifted off foundations.

IX. Considerable damage all buildings, shifted off foundations, partial collapse.

X. Well built wooden buildings destroyed, rails bent, masonry, frame structures and foundations destroyed.

XI. Rails bent greatly, few structures survive, bridges destroyed.

XII. Total destruction, lines of sight and level distorted, objects thrown into air. "

Safety Measures/ Preparedness

"Secure= Secure home- close or board windows, turn off gas and appliances if evacuating. Sandbag doors. Have or obtain emergency supplies – food and water for three days per person, prescriptions, clothes, flashlights, batteries, cell phone, radio, blankets. Include water, food, and clean up items for your pets.

Remove=loose objects from yard, remove items from floor in case of high water. Important documents-take with you-insurance policies, wills, deeds, identification, medical cards. Take pet records too; vaccination records, photo of you and pet in case you get separated.

Respond=to evacuation notices, directions of emergency personnel. Follow family emergency plan."

"Secure= Secure home-what objects may fall/break? Latch cupboard doors, brace heavy furniture/appliances, turn off gas and appliances if evacuating. Have or obtain emergency supplies – food and water for three days per person, prescriptions, clothes, flashlights, batteries, cell phone, radio, blankets. Include water, food, and clean up items for your pets. Have home inspected for structural weaknesses.

Remove=Heavy pictures, items from walls. Important documents-take with you-insurance policies, wills, deeds, identification, medical cards. Take pet records too; vaccination records, photo of you and pet in case you get separated.

Respond=to evacuation notices, directions of emergency personnel. Follow family emergency plan. "

Home Safety

"Remove items from floor and move to higher ground.

Take medications, important documents, identification.

Be aware of evacuation routes and alternates.

"

"Know where water/gas/electric shut offs are, have family plan, know where shelters are.

Get under desk or table and hold on, or stay in hallway against inside wall. Doorways are no safer than rest of house unless it is an old, unreinforced adobe house.

Stay away from windows, heavy appliances, furniture, kitchen. Do not go downstairs or outside while building is shaking, objects may fall on you or you may fall.

Do not light matches, stoves, barbeques, appliances until you are certain there are no gas leaks. If you turned off gas, do not turn back on. "

Auto Safety

"Move to higher ground, do not drive around barriers or into standing water.

Two feet of water can float most vehicles. Obey road closed signs. If car stalls in deep water, get out of car immediately and get to higher ground. "

"Carefully stop car, move out of traffic. Do not stop under bridge, overpass, trees, power lines, signs.

Stay INSIDE car until shaking stops; when you begin driving again watch for rocks, broken pavement, bumps in road.

If in mountainous area- watch for falling rocks, landslides, other debris that may fall. "

In the Open Safety

"Get to higher ground/shelter, stay away from streams/rivers.

You can be knocked off your feet by six inches of rapid water."

Get into the open away from buildings, power lines, light posts, anything that can fall on you.

Equipment

Flashlight/batteries, battery operated radio, first aid kit, food/water, purification tablets or bleach for other sources of water, manual can opener, medicines, cash/credit cards, sturdy shoes. If evacuating with your pet, have vaccination records with you, carrier, leash and muzzle. Frightened animals can at times be more aggressive. Charge electronics. Have charged phone with FEMA and NOAA apps and 911 on speed dial.

Flashlight/batteries, battery operated radio, fire extinguisher, medications, crescent and pipe wrenches to turn off utilities, food, water, first aid kit, purification tablets or bleach for other sources of water, barbeque and supplies to cook outdoors, sturdy shoes. If evacuating with your pet, have vaccination records with you, carrier, leash and muzzle. Frightened animals can at times be more aggressive. Have charged phone with FEMA app and 911 on speed dial.

Resources

floodsmart.gov-info on to what risk is by address, map, how to read flood map, view flood maps

nicb.org-flooded vehicle database

disastersafety.org

nws.noaa.gov

redcross.org

http://www.weather.gov/briefing/

https://www.ready.gov/

usgs.gov

https://www.ready.gov/

fema.gov

Coverages

Landslide, mudslide, mudflow excluded for dwelling coverage.

Water damage excluded -flood, surface water, waves, tidal water, overflow of body of water.

Power failure excluded if failure takes place off of premises. Damage that could have been avoided by property owner excluded. Valuable paper, stock certificates, cash excluded. Temporary housing expenses excluded. Property outside of insured building excluded. Vehicles usually excluded.

Falling object damage excluded to personal property unless roof or outside wall of building is damaged first.

Collapse coverage in the policy does NOT apply to collapse resulting from earthquake. Fracking related and other ""man-made"" earthquakes are covered in some states and not others. Check with your state.

Earthquake, shock waves and tremors before, during or after are excluded for dwelling coverage. Sinking, rising, sinkhole, landslide excluded.

Power failure excluded if failure takes place off of premises.