Floods occur most commonly when water from heavy rainfall, melting ice or snow or combination of these, exceeds the carrying capacity of the receiving river system. During floods, the river carries fertile sediment and deposits it on the level land called as flood plains which are fertile. Often these become areas for human settlement.
In India floods bring much havoc causing loss of life and property each year. Due to floods, the plains have become silted with mud and sand, thus affecting the cultivable land areas. Extinction of civilization in some coastal areas is mainly due to floods. In Orissa, soon after the Super cyclone of 2001, the entire sea coast was adversely affected by high sea tides, flooding the cropped area and depositing salts on good fertile soil. Flooding can be controlled by building dams upstream.
Last modified: Wednesday, 28 December 2011, 7:37 AM
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