| Flash Flood |
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Flash floods can also be caused by other influences. Ice Jam s can block the normal course of a river, leading to flooding. In addition, Dam breaks have been known to cause flash flood conditions. The Johnstown, Pennsylvania dam break of 1889 is an example of a devastating flash flood. The U.S. National Weather Service gives the advice "Turn Around, Don't Drown" regarding flash floods; that is, it recommends that people get out of the area of a flash flood, rather than trying to cross it, even if they think that the water looks easy to cross. This is because people in general underestimate the dangers of flash floods. Flash floods are extremely dangerous because of their sudden nature. Being in a vehicle does not provide protection against being swept away; it can actually make people overconfident and less likely to avoid the flash flood; more than half of the fatalities attributed to flash floods are people swept away in vehicles when trying to cross flooded intersections {Link without Title} . As little as 6 inches of water can be enough to carry away most SUV sized vehicles. More people die yearly in floods (127 on average) than by Lightning (73), Tornado es (65), or Hurricane s (16). The desert southwestern U.S. is especially dangerous for vehicles: The sudden onslaught of water from isolated thunderstorms over nearby mountains or mesas which deluge poorly absorbent—often claylike—riverbeds. Valley roads frequently cross these dry river beds without bridges. From the driver's perspective, there are hours of scorching, arid climate then, unbelievably, a river forms ahead of or around the vehicle in a matter of seconds. {Link without Title} SEE ALSO EXTERNAL LINKS
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