Day 4 – Hurricane Preparedness Week: Inland Flooding

Brownsville, Texas, July 24, 2008 -- A resident pushes his stalled car through a flooded street. Hurricane Dolly made landfall on South Padre island with 120 mph winds.

This week is National Hurricane Preparedness Week, so we’ve been sharing ways you can get prepared before hurricane season begins on June 1.  Today, we wanted to look at the threat that severe tropical weather poses to inland areas, specifically, flooding.

While many immediately think of strong winds when they think of hurricanes, heavy rains and inland flooding are equally destructive and dangerous.  Hurricanes and tropical storms have the potential to unload heavy and sustained rainfall which can overwhelm drainage systems and cause flooding.

In addition to our normal steps of getting a kit, making a plan and being informed, you can also get prepared for flooding by purchasing flood insurance.  Flooding can cause significant financial damage to homes and businesses, and flood insurance can help protect yourself from this risk.   Visit FloodSmart.gov for more information on flood insurance. (Flood insurance policies typically take 30 days before they take effect, so don’t wait until it’s too late.)

For more tips on getting prepared for flooding, visit Ready.gov/floods, or check out this video from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.   While we can’t predict where hurricanes may strike this season, we can all take steps now to get prepared.