flooding doesn't affect me
Even if you live on a mountain, flooding is likely to affect you. The reality of our highly mobile modern lifestyles means that most of us at least travel through flood-prone areas on a regular basis for work, school, shopping and leisure activities. It's vital that we all know what the risks are and what to do in the event of a flood.
We're in a drought – it won't flood
Recent events in NSW, Victoria and SE Queensland disprove this theory. And if we look at our history we know that floods and droughts are closely related and often follow each other. In the future, as we face the consequences of climate change, new weather patterns are expected to involve less frequent, but more intense rainfall. This means that while our future looks hotter and drier overall, when floods strike, they may be severe and sudden.
A '1 in 100 years' flood will occur 100 years after the last
The term '1 in 100 years' can be misleading. It is important to remember floods of any magnitude can happen anytime. In actual fact, a '1 in 100 years' flood has a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. This means there is a high probability of such a flood event occurring during your lifetime (based on an average life expectancy of 80 years). It is also possible that you may experience more than one of these events in your lifetime.
my home is above the 100 year flood level – I'm safe!
While most modern homes are built above the 100 year flood level, it is important to realise any flood can be hazardous. It is also important to realise we are far more likely to face the dangers of a flood while we are out and about, rather than inside our homes. And larger floods, although more rare, can and will occur at some point in time.
I drive a 4wd – I can tackle anything!
No matter what you drive, cars are not built to withstand the force of flood water. Driving through flood water is the number one cause of flood-related deaths. Less than half a metre of flood water is enough to sweep a car off the road. The best advice is to never drive in flood water, but to follow official detours and evacuation routes.
