Investigate

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What is a flood and how does it affect us?
A flood is when a normally dry area of land is covered by water. Floods are one of the most common natural disasters in the world. Floods can affect many different types of land, but occur more often in places where flat, low-lying land meets river or seas. When sea or river levels rise, water spills out onto the land. Raging floods by Louise and Richard Spilsbury

A flood is an overflow of water onto land that is normally dry. http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flood  Floods can cause major damage to human lives, property, and livestock. Cities and towns have been devastated due to flood damage. Lives have been lost and homes destroyed. Flooding can cause epidemics due to sewer disposal and contaminated water supplies. Transportation is halted in a lot of communities where flooding has happened. Bridges have collapsed, cars can not drive through the high water and the only means of transportation are boats, helicopters and rafts. - http://library.thinkquest.org/J001393/floods/flooddamage.htm  //Our version: In our own words a flood is the rising of water worldwide. It can be caused by the washing machine all the way to high sea levels. It affects us by killing crops, destroying properties, drowning farm animals, bridges collapse and takes the happiness from the world. Floods aren't just bad, it brings rich soil on to the land which is good for growing crops. //

What was the worst country that was affected by a flood or drought?
Here are the top three worst floods in the history of the world:

1. Huang He (Yellow) River, China 1931 Death Toll: 1,000,000 to 3,700,000 The Huang He River is prone to flooding because of the broad expanse of plain that lies around it. One of the major reasons for the flooding is the high silt content that gives the river its yellow tint (and thus its name). The silt—which constitutes as much as 60% of its volume—builds up until the river actually is higher than the surrounding land. The tendency to flood is exacerbated by ice dams which block the river in Mongolia; the dams back up the water, and then release devastating walls of water when they break. The history of flooding has prompted the Communist Chinese government to embark on a program of building dams for flood control. The dams, however, have not proven entirely effective and have been the target of criticism from environmentalists.

2.Huang He (Yellow) River, China 1887 Death Toll: 900,000 to 2,000,000

3. Huang He (Yellow) River, China 1938 Death Toll: 500,000 - 900,000 The 1938 flood of the Huang He was caused by Nationalist Chinese troops under Chiang Kai-Shek when they broke the levees in an attempt to turn back advancing Japanese troops. The strategy was partly successful. By 1940, the Japanese were essentially in a stalemate with Chinese forces. - []4. Bangladesh 1970 Death Toll: 500,000 Heavy rains during a big typhoon caused floods and left millions of people homeless.

Here are the 4 worst droughts in history:

1. Eastern Australia 1982 - 1983 Death Toll: 75 people, including 17 fire fighters Over 2500 homes were lost. This drought caused a major bush fire and only stopped when it reached the ocean. The Ash Wednesday bushfires burned through more than 2100 km2 in Victoria and 2080 km2 in South Australia. At its biggest, the fire was reported to be moving at over 100 kilometres an hour.

2. Sahel, Africa 1967-1988 Death Toll: Between 1972 and 1975 more than 600,000 people died and in 1984 to 1985 nearly 1 million people died of starvation and disease. 12% of the worlds population were affected by this drought. This drought has been the longest drought in the world lasting about 22 years!

3. Dust Bowl, United States 1931-1939 Death Toll: 500,000 people homeless. More than 50 million acres of land destroyed. Animals perished, people died, cars were destroyed aswell as homes and barns as they filled with dust and sand Dust storms carried enormous amounts of dirt from one place to another. People died from damaged air ways or dust inhalation.

4. Rajasthan, India 1998-2001 Devastation: 40 million people and 50 million cattle were left devastated by the drought 75% of crops failed because of the lack of water. 31/32 districts in Rajasthan were affected by the drought. Of the 2647 major water reservoirs only 300 of these were still full, all the others dried up.

Natural Disasters: Droughts by Louise Park

//Our version: The worst floods in history were caused by the Yellow river in China. The 1st major flood happened in 1931, killing 1 to 3.7 million people. The 2nd and the 3rd happened in 1887 and 1938 killing 900,000 to 2 million people and 500,000 to 900,000 people. The worst droughts in history have come from Australia, Africa, United States and India. The Australian drought in 1982 ad 1983 was one of the worst droughts in the 1900s killing around 75 people. The drought caused a major bushfire spreading at 100 kilometres an hour! The African drought in 1967 to 1988 was the longest drought ever in history. The 1st one killing around 600 thousand people and the 2nd one killing around 1 million people. The United States drought in 1931 to 1939 had the worst dust storm. The land was so dry causing the land to turn to dust which then blew away leaving 500 thousand people homeless. In India in 1998 to 2001, 31/32 districts were affected by this drought. Most of the water resrvoirs dried out because of the drought leaving people really dehydrated.//

**Question 3:**
====What factors would you change if you were in the same position as the people who have already been affected? ====  People should plan for the drought by storing water and growing crops that can withstand the dry weather. - Natural Disasters: Droughts by Terry Jennings

People should also prepare a survival pack to help them get through the long and devastating dry weather. - Bettina Alcanites and Celine Ah Kit.

These are some of the things people need to do or have if a flood strikes: Prepare a flood kit, have insurance, have an emergency list and have safekeeping. Raging Floods by Louise and Richard Spilsbury

// Our version: Meteorologists observe the weather and warn the countries if anything looks suspicious. Examining the satellite pictures of water levels can help scientists decipher if a drought or flood is coming. People then should prepare a survival pack to help them get through the weather. The survival kit might have a torch, a battery, a mobile phone, rubber gloves, boots, waterproof clothing, a first aid kit, insurance papers and a dry blanket. Also I would insure all of our possesions and buildiongs so that they can be replaced. It is helpful to pack an emergency list such as the emergency services and local flood information. I would also make sure that all of my valuables like passports and documents are safely put away in a high, dry place. If it is a drought, they should store water and grow crops that can withstand the dry weather. //

Could droughts and floods occur in New Zealand? Why or why not?
====In New Zealand, floods have often affected the Waikato towns of Te Aroha and Paeroa. These communties rally to support one another and to clean up the damaged towns. Farmers from surrounding area assist with gifts of stock and fodder for raveged farms. ====

 **Floods and Droughts** The standard image of New Zealand is one of peaceful green pastures and sunny country towns. However, the New Zealand experience can be very different. Floods and droughts can affect virtually all parts of the country, from Northland down to Invercargill, in any year. http://www.hydrologynz.org.nz/society-books-floods-and-droughts.html

1938 - 21 drown in Kopuawhara flash flood
Twenty men and one woman were drowned when a sudden cloudburst sent a wall of water surging through a public works camp at Kopuawhara, near Mahia. This was New Zealand's deadliest 20th-century flood. Located on the banks of the Kopuawhara Stream, the No. 4 camp had been established for workers building the Wairoa–Gisborne railway. Houses for married men were situated up on higher ground, with a cookhouse and huts for 47 single men closer to the river bank. While the stream was in flood due to heavy rain, the level had been higher at other times and there was no sense of danger. No one was prepared for the 5-metre-high wall of water that hit the camp sometime after 3 a.m. One worker woke just as the water breached the banks of the stream and began pouring across the camp site. He tried in vain to raise the alarm, running from hut to hut and frantically beating on the doors before being swept away. Men struggled in water up to their necks. Some took refuge on the roofs of their huts, but the torrent collapsed most of these structures. Other workers climbed onto the roof of the cookhouse. This structure partially collapsed, but they managed to hang on and were rescued when daylight came. The 11 men who took refuge in one of the work trucks were not so lucky. The force of the water tossed it onto its side, sweeping its occupants away; remnants of the vehicle were found 12 kilometres downstream. Image: No 4 camp after the Kopuawhara flood ([|Te Ara]) http://www.nzhistory.net.nz/timeline&new_date=19/2

//Our Version: Floods do happen in New Zealand because it's surrounded by massive quantities of water. This article proves that floods do happen in New Zealand. Lots of farm animals die because of the floods and droughts. //  <span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Question 5:**

<span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Can you provide a definition for drought?
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">Droughts can last for a few days or for years it can have a devastating effect on people's lives as it slowly kills plants and animals and dries up wells and rivers. A drought is also a long period of dry weather, when no rain falls for weeks, months or even years. Many parts of the world expect drought every yea. These are the places that have a dry season and a wet season. People plan for the drought by storing water and by growing crops that can withstand the dry weather. - Natural disasters: Droughts by Terry Jennings

Drought is an unusually long spell of dry weather. This can happen because there has not been enough rainfall, or less rainfall than expected, over a long time. It can also happen when water supplies in dams and rivers dry up from periods of prolonged heat. The effects of drought ca differ depending on where the drought strikes. It can affect water and food supplies, farming and livestock, and cause serious problems like manutrition and famine. The wost affects of drought occur when there are extremely long spells of dry weather. Drought can occur in almost all climatic zones around the world, but its characteristics vary significantly between regions. Its impact comes from natural weather events and human demands on our water supplies. Droughts by Louise Park

A long period of abnormall low rainfall, especially one that adversely affects growing or living conditions. -http://www.thefreedictionary.com/drought

A long period of dry weather -The Oxford school dictionary

" A dry place caused by no rainfall." - Glenn Phillips<span style="color: #c034df; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> // Our version: // <span style="color: #c034df; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Our definition for drought is: A drought is a period of time where there is a shortage of rainfall. It can cause famines, crops to die, it kills livestock, starts bush fires, affects water and food supplies and farming. It occurs from the natural weather events and from human demands for water.//

<span style="color: #c034df; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">
<span style="color: #c034df; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">**Question 6:**

<span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">What are some of the problems that floods and droughts cause?
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Droughts often lead to famines (a famine is when a large number of people don't have enough to eat. The hot sun kills the crops and dries up the water supplies. Animals kept for meat and milk either starve to death or have to be killed. The small amount of water that is still available is often dirty and full of germs. When crops fail in a drought, the top soil is left exposed to the air. It becomes as dry as dust and is blown away by strong winds. This makes it even more difficult to grow crops when the rain returns, so there is even less food for the people to eat in the fututer. When people do not have enough to eat, they are weak and can't fight off disease. Children and adults starve. -Natural Disasters: Drought by Terry Jennings

Water is a crucial part of life. Without it we would struggle to survive. When drought grips a country th effects can be devastating. Drought can have environmental, social and economic impacts demnding on the extent of the drought. Environmental impacts: When the environment begins to dry out, it can put stress on the wild life as well as land. Lack of food and drinking water affects animals as well. Some animals might migrate to other areas. Others may contract disease or starve. As reservoirs, wetlands and lakes dry up, fish, bird life and other species struggle to survive and may become endangered. At the same, erosion of soil and poor quality means it becomes impossible to grow crops. Plant life and vegetation also struggle to survive in these conditions. Social impacts: Serious drought can have many social impacts. In some countries, people move to other places in search of land where they can survive. This happened during drought in the Horn of Africa in 1984. This drought drove 2.5 million people in the region to abandon their homes and flee to neighbouring countries. Severe drought can also cause deaths, famine, loss of animals, crops and livelihood. Economic impacts: When drought strikes, the resources of the country suffer as well as the people. Farmers may lose money if a drought destroys their crops. They might also lose livestock, or need to spend more money on food and water for them. Buisnesses can also be affected by drought. Tractor and flood manufacturers lose business when crops and livestock are reduced. Droughts by Louise Park

As for floods, When a loarge flood strikes people can drown, houses, trees and vehicles can be swept away by the raging water. Further damage is caused by logs and othe objects in the river. Floodwaters spill over onto the flood plain, a large flat area of land beside a river. Everything is covered by the mud from the river bottom. This ruins crops and possessions, although it acts as a fertiliser for new crops. Sea floods, on the other hand, damage the land for farming. Salt-water soaks into the soil making it impossible to grow new crops.After floods, hundreds perhaps even thousand of people and animals may drown. Town and city streets are filled with water, mud and piles of rubbish. Many people are made homeless. They have no drinking water and little food. Disease spreads quickly as broken pipes pour sewerage into the flooded streets. Rich farmland soils are washed away and crops lie rotting in thick, gluey mud. Floodwaters cause landslides which demolish roads, bridges, railway lines and power lines. Communications are cut, which makes rescues difficult.- Natural Disasters Floods by John Lockyer

<span style="color: #c034df; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">//Our version: Droughts have 3 different types of impacts. Environmental impacts, social and economic impacts. Environmental impacts include famines, dieseases, filthy water, stressed animals, stressed land, homeless animals and people, no crops and all of the resorvoirs dry up. For social impacts people have to leave their homes to where they can survive. It also causes deaths, famines, loss of animals, crops and livelihood. As for economical impacts, that includes everything on the land. For example the shops and buildings, bridges and vegetation. Buisnesses are destroyed because of the loss of crops and animals. Floods have similar affects. People can drown, houses get destroyed, trees collapse and vehicles can be swept away. Also crops get destroyed and possesions ruined. Animals can also drown causing the buisnesses to go out of buisness. Lots of diseases spread throughout the cities. Floods can cause landslides and other natural disasters to occur. Some more hazardass problems are when the water knocks down power lines and breaks gas and oil pipes. The electricity from the power lines will make anyone who touches the water that touches the poll electrocuted.// <span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;"> <span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Question 7:**

<span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">How can you help prevent floods and droughts from happening in the near future?
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">**Droughts:** Droughts cannot be prevented yet. Scientists have tried to make clouds produce rains but with little success. Scientist are getting at forecasting where drought are likely to occur, though. They use satellites to measure the temperature of the surface of the ocean and to plot the progress of rainclouds Drought by Terry Jennings

There are areas of the world where drought is frequent. Looking after land and water can minimise the effects of drought. Soil Conservation: In Africa, it is very hard to keep dry land fertile enough to grow crops. Farmland is used for growing crops for 3 year periods. During this time, all the nutrients in the soil get used up. Farmers now know to leave this land crop free for the next seven or eight years. This gives it a chance to replenish with nutrients. Clearing trees and natural grasses worsens the effects of a drought. Keeping this vegetation keeps moisture in the soil. In Ethiopiam most of the forests were cut down. Trees were used to make and sell timber. Ethiopia now has a huge reforestation program. Reclaiming natural forests will significantly lessen the effects. Water conservation: Fresh water is our most precious resource. Conserving water is vital. Using up water that is not being replaced during times of drought can take its toll. The hot conditions that come with drought also bring high levels of evaporation to already depleted water supplies. For water to last longer, restrictions are ofter placed on water usage. Droughts by Louise Park.

Flood damage by Susan Bullen
 * Floods:** Trees can help stop floods. They break up the soil and water soon goes down to their roots. We can help by planting more trees, but cutting down trees helps floods to happen. Another way is building a strong dam. Building a dam can control the flow of a river. When there is heavy rain, the extra water is stored behind the dam. The water stays in a lake called a resevoir. Later it is let out when people need the water.

In areas where floods can be predicted, people use different ways to try to prevent or reduce them. People control the amount of water in rivers by building dams and flood barriers. Large amounts of water that might cause flooding are then stored into reservoirs. People make the sides of rivers higher by building walls called levees. This helps stop rivers from overflowing. They also dig drainage channels, so if rivers do overflow, the water drains away more easily. In coastal areas people build sea walls to help keep waves off the land. Water runs faster off land where there is little top soil to soak it up. In these places, people plant trees on hillsides around rivers and streams. These help stop topsoil erosion - when the soil is washed, blown or rubbed away. This slows down the flow of water towards floodplains. // Our version: There is no scientific way of stopping droughts happening says the scientists but there is a way to help prevent them. When you plant crops, you have to leave it for 7 or 8 years to let the soil replenish itself. Keep the vegetation and not chop them down because chopping them down worsens the effects of a drought. If you keep the trees and greenery, the soil with stay moist. Another way that you can help to prevent droughts is to conserve water. Only use the water when mostly needed and dont waste it. As for floods, we can help by planting more trees not cutting them down. The trees help by breaking up the soil and water stores itself inside its roots. Another way is to build dams and check them regularly to make sure there are no holes. Also help to lessen the effect of global warming as it evaporates more water from the oceans causing more storms which then causes more floods. // <span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">
 * Question 8:**

<span style="color: #800080; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif;">What should people do in a flood?
====If a flood happens, keep calm but act quickly to avoid dangers. You and your family or carers should: Keep a radion and or a mobile phone close by so you know what is happening. Alert your neighbours, especially the elderly. Be prepared to move to higher ground. Try to avoid moving at night when you cannot see the hazards. Do what the emergency services ( such as police. ) tell you to do. Keep out of flood water if possible, as it may be hazardous. If you have to get in the water, use a stick to test the depth of the water. Keep away from powerlines and from water near storm drains, as it moves fast. Take pets with you when you move, or put them in a dry place with food. Three out of 10 pet owners risk their lives trying to rescue their pets.====

//Our version: If you and your family are stuck in a drought you need to://
 * // Make sure you have some sort or electronic device like a radio with you so that you know whats going on around you. //
 * // Alert your neighbours . //
 * // Prepare yourself with food and a survival pack for when you move to higher ground. //
 * // Watch out for hazards when moving. //
 * // Listen and obey the emergency services. //
 * // Stay away from the water. //
 * // Test the water level with a stick if you absolutely need to go into the water. //
 * // Keep clear of dangerous objects like fast flowing water and the power lines. //
 * // Make sure you keep your pet safe because otherwise you might risk your own life to save the pets life. //

<span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 17px; font-style: normal; line-height: 24px;">**Question 9:** ====<span style="color: #5a075a; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS',Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: 120%;">Do the effects of floods and drought differ depending on the geographical location? ==== These floods and droughts are....TL=Africa, TR= America, BL=Bangladesh, BR=Australia. //Our version: Floods can happen in any part of the world whether it may be China or America. There hasn't been a single country that hasn't been affected by a flood, drought or any other major natural disasters. Though the countries that have been affected the worst by a flood is China. Every country have floods because they have rivers or lakes. Sometimes the cause is made by human activity. In total, the affects of floods and droughts do differ depending on its location because....: In a drought, the worst places are the countries that are near the equator. Lots of countries expect droughts every year like Australia. Being near the equator dries up all the water because it is hotter there. Floods are worst where the countries have bigger rivers. For example, the Yellow river and the Yangtze river in China always floods and causes such a disaster killing millions of people.//