Floods are a powerful force of nature, having the power to destroy homes, vehicles, and property at a moment’s notice. According to data from Statista, floods caused 116 deaths in 2017, making them one of the deadliest types of natural disasters in the United States. Our country has a long history of flooding — some of the costliest floods in American history include:
- The Galveston storm surge of 1900 — In the year 1900, Galveston, Texas was hit with a hurricane and storm surge that caused an estimated $602 million in damage in today’s dollars. Once a bustling center of industry, the city was all but completely wiped out by the storm — and Houston soon took its place as Texas’ social center.
- South Florida’s 1923 hurricane — In September of 1923, a hurricane would cause a 5-foot-tall mud dam constructed to hold back the waters of Lake Okeechobee to give way and burst. The result was over $1.5 billion in property damage as a result of flooding and the loss of an estimated 2,500-3,000 lives.
- The Jonestown Flood — After several days of heavy rain, a dam near Jonestown, PA burst on May 31, 1889. Flooding ravaged the city; reports claimed that waters reached over 40 feet in some places. The flooding caused over $12 billion in damages, and an estimated 2,200 men and women were killed — including 99 entire families.
- Hurricane Katrina — The tragedy of Hurricane Katrina can be directly connected to how settlers altered the landscape. Once a city that was entirely above sea-level, swamp drainage by French settlers caused the poorest parts of the city to sink. When levees and seawalls failed to protect residents from Hurricane Katrina’s landing on Aug. 29, 2005, a whopping 80 percent of the city was flooded with water in a matter of hours.
Is your home protected against flash flooding? Assistance from a waterproofing company in NJ like Rightway Waterproofing can help prepare your home in the event of a flood. To learn more about how waterproofing in NJ can help you ensure the safety of your valuables and loved ones, give Rightway Waterproofing a call today at 866-741-6190!
