About Floods

Floods occur when water covers land that is usually dry. Floods are fairly commonplace in Australia, costing Australians $300-$400 million in damage every year. Floods can be deadly, but deaths due to flood are preventable. Most flood deaths occur when people underestimate the depth and current of flood waters and try to cross on foot, by car or by swimming. Flooding, unlike some other natural disasters, is usually fairly localised. Sometimes, however, many floods can take place over a large area.