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Each year, millions of homes are destroyed by flooding, and millions of lives are lost or displaced.

Flooding the most common and most expensive disaster because it often accompanies other types of disasters. Earthquakes and tornado lead to broken pipes and disrupted river flow, water is used to put out house fires and wildfires, and hurricanes, tsunamis severe storms, and mudslides pack a wallop of water that devastate lives and property.

Flooding impacts most land areas and every continent. South-west Pacific and southern Asia were hit hard back in 1994 as the Bai-u front, (an Indian monsoon) caused flooding in Bangladesh, China, India, Japan, Nepal, the Philippines, Viet Nam and the Korean Peninsula costing billions in damage and killing thousands.

To make matters worse, there is no standard form of measurement or “scale” to measure flood intensity. Tornados are measured in categories 1-5 (the Fujita scale) and earthquakes have the Richter scale. Recurrence intervals are used to measure the size of a flood, but the measurements are unique to a drainage basin and do not allow comparisons among different drainage basins

But as bad as flooding is, throughout history disease epidemics have wiped out millions more than flooding or all other natural-nature based disasters have.

Smallpox killed an estimated 300 million deaths during the 20th Century.

The bubonic plague, known as “The Black Death” took out one third of the population of Europe starting in the 14th century and various strains lasted until the 20th century–and many health officials believe it’s lying dormant and might return.

The Spanish flu pandemic of 1918-1919 and is responsible for an estimated 50-100 million deaths worldwide.

Flooding holds the record for natural disaster death tolls and property damage. China’s Hwang He River has experienced extensive flooding in the past hundred years (in 1931, 1887, and 1938) that took close to a total of seven million lives. Flooding is also the most common cause of death during severe/tropical storms such as hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones. The Bhola Cyclone in 1970 killed almost a half million people in Bangladesh.

Flooding–and natural disasters isn’t cheap. Hurricane Katrina’s price tag has soared to $122 billion for the Gulf region, approved by Congress, and another $20 billion is allocated for coastal restoration.

Flooding has affected the United States many times over, and in the past 50 years close to 85 percent of U.S. has been declared a federal disaster area due to floods. Increased human living spaces in floodplains and over-building in city areas do little to allow flood waters to soak into much needed soil.

How do you survive a flood?

First, get out before you know it’s coming.
Don’t think you can out-run, or out-climb, or out-drive a flood.

If you have time, listen to the radio or watch television and be aware of what’s happening in your area. Unplug electrical appliances and move any items you can onto counter tops or as high as you can get them–especially electrical equipment. Stuff towels under doors and window ledges. Move any paperwork to higher ground, recheck your first aid kit, and prepare your pets and family for evacuation.

If it happens suddenly, take your loved ones, pets, cell phone, and if you can, prescriptions and important documents (in a baggie, again, if you can), and drive away from the flood. If it’s eminent and you can’t get away, climb up to the roof of your home–grab a towel, bright clothing item or flashlight to wave. Call 9/11 and tell them where you live and where you are. If you can’t get through, call someone you know and tell them to keep calling until they get through–or to call your police or fire department and let them know.

If you can get away before the flood hits, get in the car and go as far you can, and even drive off road, but get to the highest ground you can find. Remember–only two feet of water can cause a car to float–so before the flood gets to you get out and get to the highest floor or roof of a building. Stay together. Call someone and let them know your location–in case the phones go down.

Don’t play in flood waters–electrical lines will most likely be down, sewage will also be in the water–and snakes.

Don’t panic. As long as you’re up high, someone will find you. Make that call to let someone know where you are early–be patient and stay together.