Floods can have devastating consequences and can have effects on the economy, environment, and people.

Economic

During floods (especially flash floods), roads, bridges, farms, houses, and automobiles are destroyed. People become homeless. Additionally, the government deploys firefighters, police, and other emergency apparatuses to help the affected. All these come at a cost to people and the government. It usually takes years for affected communities to be rebuilt and businesses to come back to normalcy.

Did you know that the cost of all floodings in the USA in 2011 was $8,640,031,956 (approx 8.5B USD) — NOAA

Environment

The environment also suffers when floods happen. Chemicals and other hazardous substances end up in the water and eventually contaminate the water bodies that flood. In 2011, a big tsunami hit Japan, and seawater flooded a part of the coastline. The flooding caused massive leakage in nuclear plants and has since caused high radiation in that area. Authorities in Japan fear that Fukushima radiation levels are 18 times higher than even thought.

Additionally, flooding kills animals, and other insects are introduced to affected areas, distorting the natural balance of the ecosystem.

People and animals

Many people and animals have died in flash floods. Many more are injured and others are made homeless. Water supply and electricity are disrupted, and people struggle and suffer as a result. In addition to this, flooding brings a lot of diseases and infections including military fever, pneumonic plague, dermatographia, and dysentery. Sometimes insects and snakes make their way to the area and cause a lot of havoc.

But…

There is also something good about floods, especially those that occur in floodplains and farm fields. Floodwaters carry lots of nutrients that are deposited in the plains. Farmers love such soils, as they are perfect for cultivating some kinds of crops.