Floods are an overflow of water that submerges land and usually happen because of a large amount of rainfall, saturated soil, and/or the capacity of the body of water is exceeded:

Often floods are seasonal in nature, coming after Spring rains.

Floods also occur in rivers, when flow exceeds capacity in certain areas of the river channel.

Floods have impacted society for centuries because people like to live near water and water transportation.

In certain parts of the world, typically those with regular monsoon conditions, flooding is a regular seasonal issue

Suggested graphics: http://www.kidcyber.com.au/IMAGES/Floods4.jpg

Types of Floods -- The flood type depends on the geographic location of the body of water and its tendencies:

Areal flooding happens when flat, low-lying areas cannot absorb any more water

River floods occur when the river cannot carry away all the extra water and the river overflows

Coastal floods are usually caused by harsh...
[ View Full Essay]