You vs. Flowing Water

From 2003-2012, flooding claimed an average of 76 lives per year, according to National Weather Service statistics.  Flooding makes up 40% of all natural disasters, the most common global natural disaster, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Let’s lay out some impressive facts about flood waters.

Six inches of flowing water can knock a person off their feet.

• Water flowing at more than 8 mph has the equivalent force per unit area as air blowing at EF5 tornado wind speeds!
• Water moving at 25 mph has the pressure equivalent of wind blowing at 790 mph, faster than the speed of sound!

Six inches of flowing water can drown a person.

• If you slip and fall face first, you might drown before you come to.
• Babies/small children are very vulnerable; just as they would be in a bathtub accident.
• Water levels in flash floods can rise one foot in five minutes.  In some cases, near-instantaneous rises of 10-30 feet or more may accompany walls of water rushing downstream

from:  http://www.wunderground.com/news/power-flood-water-20130704