Rivian, an American electric vehicle automaker, and automotive technology company, already has plans underway for the development of an electric vehicles plant in Georgia. Considering that both Amazon and Ford already joined forces in order to help Rivian get a boost in the industry, these plans may be far from being canceled.

Today, we want to talk about what impacts this type of development has on flooding for Georgia and some tips on what you need to do with your flood insurance.

Developments and Flood

First, let's look back into the overall negative impacts of urban development when it comes to flooding.

In research from 2016 from the United States Geological Survey (USGS), it's found that urbanization has a direct impact on flooding. In this research for Illinois alone, they were able to find that in a 2-year span, there's a possibility of seeing a hundred to 600 percent increase in flood peak discharge due to urbanization. This data was gathered from Mercer Creek and Salt Creek in Illinois and you should keep this in mind since it will be valuable info later.

When it comes to Georgia, a lot of development is also going on to cater to more housing and urbanization. The same could easily be said for our state. The thing about these floodings when it comes to developments and urbanization is that it simply doesn't increase flooding for high-risk flood zones only.

Generally, all those developments are causing an increase in water runoff because water has nowhere to go. Also, changing the soil that naturally sips floodwater into cement causes this issue with flooding. Most of these waters go to low-lying areas and even low-risk flood zones like Flood Zone X.

This has been proven in 2017 when research from Georgia State University (GSU) also found an increase of 26% in annual streamflow for areas that were developed or urbanized from 1986 to 2010, as well as a doubling of high-flow days for Suwanee and Big Creek.

So, how will this new electric vehicle plant impact flooding in Georgia?

Rivian's Developments

This new development for the electric vehicle plant is considered to be the largest economic development project that Georgia will see in its entire history. The development will cover about 2000 acres of land. 55% of these lands are intended for agricultural and residential zones.

Considering the scale of this planned site, it's no question that this will cause a lot of burdens when waters start to rise and rain starts to pour. We've already mentioned before how changing the natural soil to cement can cause a lot of water to have no place to go but the neighborhood. The city of Social Circle itself is creating a movement to thwart this $5-billion development plans ahead of time.

The plant is planned to cover land across the Walton and Morgan Counties in Georgia. What is notable about these two counties when it comes to flooding is that Walton has an increased risk for roads, commercial areas, and infrastructure. This is something noteworthy because most of the fatalities we see when there's flood are located or involves road, so this could mean an increase in flooding for these locations can also present dangers for the lives of motorists.

On the other hand, Morgan county is facing more concern when it comes to flooding already as their increasing risks from moderate levels might also see some significant impacts of this development. It's notable that roads and infrastructures might move into a major risk level whereas residential, commercial, and social areas are going to move into more of a moderate risk of flooding.

Flood Insurance Protection

There's no other way out when floodwater starts inundating your property. Flooding has been considered for many years to be the most common natural disaster that happens in the United States. We might not be able to thwart these plans for the plant, but we can still ensure that we will be able to protect ourselves from the expected results of development on that scale.

Flood insurance isn't just insurance for your property but also acts as an assurance that you don't really need to worry about what gets taken by flood damage because you will definitely have coverage for it. Georgia residents can get flood insurance from either front: the federal government-backed through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) or through the private flood insurance market.

Getting this type of insurance is one of the most important things to have for a homeowner, business owner, and even renters especially in the 21st century. Nowadays, a lot of factors come into play when it comes to the increased risk and amount of flooding we're getting; not just developments and urbanization.

To learn more about flood insurance, how you might be impacted by this development in Georgia, what your flood insurance options are, or any questions about floods, click below to access our Flood Learning Center.

You can also click here to call us, so we can talk about your flood concerns.

Remember, we have an educational background in flood mitigation which lets us help you understand your flood risks, flood insurance, and mitigating your property long-term.

Since the beginning of time, we were always accustomed to thinking that fire and water can only destroy one another. What if I told you that in the case of California, fires actually worsen the amount of water that we get when there's flooding.

Today, we want to discuss how these fires in California have been impacting the flooding on the west coast and communities can best prepare themselves for this type of condition.

Fire and Floodwater in California

If you told people outside of the west coast that fires and drought can lead to worse floods, some might find it hard to believe however this is the perfect cocktail that's been ravaging the western areas of the country and most specifically California.

At the time of writing, a bomb cyclone and atmospheric rivers caused a lot of flash floods, toxic runoff, rockslides, and mudslides after a significant amount of rain was dumped in the area. We've covered this topic in our previous blog. What we want to focus on is how even in recent times, this tag team of wildfire and floods are causing a lot of trouble in California.

If we look back in 2018, Butte County and Los Angeles were hit with 1 and a half inches of rain which is fairly common anywhere else, but this was enough to cause catastrophic flooding. How did that relatively small amount of rainfall be enough to cause floods?

Well, at the time that this happened, California's soil was badly scarred by the deadliest wildfire in history. The flood was due to the fact that the soil in the area was totally incapable of holding any of that water so it just caused all of the debris to flow into nearby areas.

Fires Becoming a Flood Risk

It's highly noticeable, even without looking at the numbers, that the risk of flooding in California is significantly high. This is highly due to the constant fires that are also constantly presenting potential impacts to future floods. The risk of floods in these areas is also significantly dangerous due to destructive debris flows which contain all the toxic chemicals from burnt materials.

These debris flows are commonly due to the surface erosion that we're seeing in areas where there has been a fire. A fire can easily destroy the overall quality of the soil in these areas which is why a small amount of rain becomes the biggest flood hazard with equal destructiveness to the fires themselves. Equally, when that toxic debris flows get into the water supply, there's also a health risk being presented to the residents of the impacted communities and/or areas. 

These threats can happen even with a small amount of rain and it escalates further when we start to talk about heavy rains. The stronger the rain in these areas is, the more vicious the debris flows become, and once this flows into reservoirs and dams, it's a bigger problem for these communities.

How Flood Insurance Helps

Flood insurance is becoming more relevant now with the current climate change and it's one of the most essential insurance policies you can have. It's important to note that flood damage to your property won't be covered by any other insurance other than flood insurance.

In the case of California and the current condition it's facing with the bomb cyclone and atmospheric rivers, we encourage that each resident will get one for their property since there's a lot of flood hazards going around presented not just by rain, but also through those wildfires.

Flood insurance covers any loss that was resulted because of a flood. Any surface water will be considered as a flood once it affects at least two acres of land or two properties. This means that what happened in California and the west coast due to the bomb cyclone already qualifies for flood insurance coverage.

Flood Insurance Options in California

When you buy flood insurance from the government-backed market under the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), you will get covered for both dwelling and contents. Dwelling coverage or building coverage will max out at $250,000 and contents coverage will max out at $100,000.

This will be all of the coverage you'll be getting through FEMA and the NFIP. The only other additional coverage you can get is the Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) which can really help you protect your home from floodwaters. This is an additional $30,000 solely dedicated to flood mitigation however it must be said that this is something that your community should apply for.

You can learn more about federal flood insurance and the NFIP Risk Rating 2.0 by checking out our previous blog.

On the other hand, you also have the private flood insurance market which offers no coverage limits on their flood policies. This means two things: one, you don't have to take up all that $250,000 even when you don't need it and, lastly, you can make sure that you get covered for more than $250,000.

Private flood insurance also helps you find more peace of mind as it can also provide replacement costs, additional living expenses, and loss of use.

Regardless of your flood insurance carrier choice, it's still best to keep a policy intact with your property. Climate change is drastically changing the landscape of how natural disasters — from droughts to sudden downpours of rain — and we must be vigilant to keep up with these changes.

If you have any questions on how fires impact flood insurance, where your flood insurance coverage starts and stops, or anything about floods, click below so you could call us or go to our Flood Learning Center where we try to answer your flood insurance questions.

Remember, we have an educational background in flood mitigation which lets us help you understand your flood risk, flood insurance, and mitigating the value of your property long-term.

We're just a week away from the first phase of the new federal flood insurance program with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The new Risk Rating 2.0 will impact properties across the country when it comes to flood insurance rates.

This new program may also bring changes not only for the flood insurance from the federal government but also the private insurance companies. It's natural to expect that a lot of property owners and consumers find anxiety, fear, and concerns with the new program.

What are these concerns?

Rate Increase

One of the biggest fears and concerns is about flood insurance rates increase with this new program.

There's a bit of misconception coming towards this specific concern. Although we're expecting some increase with the rates since there will be changes to the flood risk variable or how your rates are calculated, it's not true that everyone will get a very big increase.

Like we've covered in our previous blog, this new program is most likely to cause some increase however this is mostly due to the fact that insurance premiums will be based on a lot of variables other than flood zones.

Generally, we can expect that one of the biggest variables that may cause your rate to increase is property values. This is just one of the new things coming into play when it comes to your rate and it will fall as the costs to rebuild whatever flood damage happened to your property.

If you have a cheaper or smaller property then this could really help your case and get that rate decrease with your insurance with FEMA and the NFIP.

Will Risk Rating 2.0 cause an increase in the cost of insurance once it takes effect on October 1st? Well, there's no accurate answer however it's important to keep in mind that you will only be paying for the policy that matches your coverage and flood risk.

To further understand the new rating structure let's do a quick recap of the things coming to FEMA and the NFIP Risk Rating 2.0

Everything Risk Rating 2.0

This new program's also called equity in action as the main goal that it has is to provide a more accurate insurance cost when it comes to FEMA and the NFIP through rates and/or premiums. This goal will be achieved by using multiple flood risk factors or what is also called flood risk variables.

It's important to highlight that Risk Rating 2.0 will no longer use flood zones that are seen through flood maps as a basis for the rating. This means that being in a high-risk flood zone like Flood Zone A will only see flood insurance mandatory from a regulatory standpoint.

Here are the things that will be used to finalize your flood insurance rates with FEMA and the NFIP:

• Types of flood
• Flood frequency
• Distance to water or sources of flood risk
• Cost of rebuilding the insured building
• First-floor height and building elevation
• Flood mitigation measures on the property
• Prior flood insurance claims

Other than the rating system, flood coverage with FEMA and the NFIP will stay the same at the time of writing. Building coverages will max out at $250,000 for residential property and will only go up to $500,000 if it's a commercial property. When it comes to contents coverage or personal property coverage, both will max out at $100,000.

So far, there will be no additional coverages like replacement costs or loss of use. Additional living expenses will only kick in if there's a presidential declaration. The other coverage you may get is the Increased Cost of Compliance (ICC) which isn't really included in a standard flood insurance policy.

Claims Process

The second thing that most property owners will be surely concerned about is the flood claims process.

Well, the good news is that there's not much change with the flood claims process itself with FEMA and the NFIP.  When it comes to completing a flood claim after a flood, FEMA will be using the same format as they are using before.

You can either call FEMA's hotline or visit their website to file a flood insurance claim after a flood. You still have to make sure that you follow their guidelines such as reporting the damages to an insurance agent or insurance company, documenting the flood loss in full detail, doing the necessary clean-up to avoid further damage, and meeting with an adjuster before you can actually have your insurance payout.

Generally, if this isn't your first rodeo from filing a claim with FEMA and the NFIP, this can be very easy. If it's your first time, there's not really much of a change to its current format. You can definitely get an informed decision when it comes to these claims from us, your agent, or your insurance company.

Mortgage's Flood Policy Rejection

Now, let's move into something that many people don't really talk about and that's the fear that your mortgage lender might not accept your flood insurance policy.

You see, when it comes to mortgage lenders, they do have certain standards that may lead to your policy getting rejected overall. Government loans like USDA loans and VA loans can be one of these loan types that most mortgage lenders reject. This means if you're doing a government loan, the mortgage lender may reject your policy due to the said loan and this is can really be concerning since it mostly falls into the lender's discretion.

There are also cases where your mortgage will not directly reject your policy, but they will have to ask you to make sure that you get more coverage for the property. This is especially the case for a policy that came from the private market or a private insurance company where coverage is more flexible than FEMA's or the NFIP's.

You can also have your policy reject if your mortgage lender deems that it won't be needed. Maybe this is because your property is not in the special flood hazard area (SFHA) or a high-risk zone or was removed from the SFHA due to the letter of map revision (LOMR).

House Closing and Policy Refund

Lastly, what if you're trying to buy this house and you already completed the flood insurance purchase however the closing didn't go through. Your policy will no longer be valid since it's set for that specific property. The biggest question you will have is that "can I get a refund?" and we totally understand since that's a lot of money going nowhere.

The simple answer is yes, you will get your refund. Generally, in this type of closing where a property closing didn't happen (also known as the Valid Cancellation Reason Code 7 or simply Code 7) in FEMA's books, you will be able to get a full refund for the premium including fees and surcharge.

It's important to note however that the cancellation and refund will only go through if FEMA received the cancellation request within 1 year of the new flood policy effective date. All you need to do is to provide the complete documentation that the closing didn't go through and the verification letter which you can also get from FEMA.

Things To Think About

At the end of the day, this update will not get a final verdict since it hasn't even started yet. FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) may also add more as the Risk Rating 2.0 goes live. The real thing we should be more concerned about is making sure that you are protected especially during hurricane seasons.

We've seen how devastating these natural disasters can be, so not getting that chance to bounce back from all the loss and damages will be the bigger disaster than the actual flooding itself.

If you have any questions on understanding the level of risk for floods your property has, what the Risk Rating 2.0 means for you, what your flood insurance options are, or anything about floods and flood insurance, click below to reach us.

Remember, we have an educational background in flood mitigation which lets us help you understand flood risks, your flood insurance, and mitigating your property long-term.

It's been cold then hot and going back in forth with the bad weather day moments we have in the country. Most parts of the country are still recovering from Hurricane Ida and major areas were devastated by strong winds and widespread flooding.

Today, we want to talk about the recent wildfire event in California that the National Incident Management and Cal Fire are still trying to resolve, how this will impact future floods in the impacted areas and counties, and what these wildfires can mean for floods. We will also discuss how this will impact Lake Tahoe despite being spared from the Caldor Fire.

Flames after the Storm

As we were moving past Hurricane Ida, extreme weather patterns show its impacts as California was hit by a massive wildfire event in the middle of August as yet to be determined cause started the fast-moving Caldor Fire at South Lake Tahoe and spread towards El Dorado and Amador Counties. This prompted President Joe Biden to declare a state of emergency for California 

About 220,000 acres of land were engulfed by the Caldor Fire prompting mandatory evacuation measures. At the time of writing, good news came to residents as the evacuation orders were lifted for the entire west area of the Caldor Fire such as Sly Park, Pollock Pines, and Grizzly Flat. The east zone of the state is expecting to get minimal to moderate fire behavior.

However, it's important to note that the fire is still active for 24 days now with only 50% estimated containment. More than 50,000 people remain evacuated due throughout the region, including into Nevada and at least 664 structures have been destroyed including at least 482 single homes, 11 commercial properties, and 171 other minor structures. The damage assessments continue at the time of writing, so we really don't have an accurate damage report yet.

As the Caldor Fire slows, three new wildfires erupt causing red flag warnings for portions of central Oregon and central northern California. We also have to take into writing that the Dixie Fire scorched more than 900,000 acres across five counties in Northern California since its genesis on July 14.

We hope that everyone will be safe especially in the areas like Amador County, Douglas County, and Placer County in Nevada. If you receive any evacuation warnings, don't hesitate to go to an evacuation center. Please be safe and take care.

The Irony of the Spared Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe was spared from the Caldor Fire however this actually presents an ironic situation when it comes to natural disasters. We've previously talked about the impacts of wildfires, such as the Gatlinburg Fire (Tennessee) in 2016, and other disasters when it comes to natural disasters, and the Caldor Fire won't be different.

Now that a lot of that forest became ashes and the ground that once held it is now scorched, it's very likely that when rain gets dump in the area during cooler weather, it will cause a lot of flooding for California. Forests are one of the best natural protections we have against flood water and since they're no longer in the equation, there's nothing getting between that water and your property. The Caldor Fire was huge enough that it started the haze obscured both the Golden Gate Bridge and the San Francisco skyline on August 18.

Areas like El Dorado County, Alpine County, Amador County, and Douglas County are also prone to flash flooding, mudflows, landslides, and mudslides once a sufficient amount of rain gets dumped on this area.

The biggest issue with scorched land like this is that the ground itself might not be able to sustain any form of vegetation to contain water from rain, if not floods. The ground impacted by both the Caldor Fire and Dixie Fire might not see any green leaves anytime soon. Once that rain hits, it's like water hitting cement. It will go nowhere, but down.

The lifting of evacuation orders doesn't really address the flood that may come after and even Lake Tahoe was spared from the Caldor Fire, once the lake starts to rise it's most likely that the first area we'll see a lot of water is on the South Lake Tahoe and other low-lying areas impacted by the fire.

The thing is only floods and mudflows will be covered by your flood insurance policy. The fire itself, mudslides, and/or landslides will be covered by another policy. We encourage everyone to put safety and your insurance as the biggest priority during these times. We've seen how unpredictably dangerous weather conditions are this year alone.

Safety First

There's no telling what can happen next and it may sound contradicting, but floods might come any time soon for these impacted areas and nearby communities to the Caldor Fire. As containment efforts continue in the region, we want should be sure to make sure we have enough coverage from our insurance policies when disaster strikes.

If you have questions on flood insurance, how are wildfires cover by your flood insurance policy, or anything about flood, reach out to us by clicking below:

Remember, we have an educational background in flood mitigation which lets us help you understand flood risks like the ones that wildfires present, your flood insurance policy, and mitigating your property long-term.

Be safe, be alert, and eureka, California.

 

A lot of things happened after Hurricane Ida came to the country with its category-4 landfall and multiple states flooded due to continuous heavy rainfall. A lot of businesses were shut down with the impacts of the hurricane, personal property washed away, and homeowners are at a loss.

Today, we want to cover how disaster assistance, disaster loans work, and how they would impact your flood insurance. Can you get both flood insurance, disaster assistance, or disaster loans?

Disaster Assistance

When it comes to the application process with the disaster assistance there are two things that must happen first: a presidential declaration for the natural disasters that recently happened, and you must meet certain standards and restrictions to be one of the eligible individuals for this federal government assistance.

Considering what happened with Hurricane Ida and the consistent flood risk in New York even though the hurricane had already passed, it's a good thing that President Joe Biden gave the government a green light for disaster assistance during these trying times, this means that all individuals may be eligible to get one.

However, disaster assistance isn't like flood insurance where you can get one that easily. This has to go through a tedious process for you to get that financial assistance from the government. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will first contact you via U.S. mail or email for the next steps.

They will also send out an inspector to survey your home to see if it's livable. Before, this means that they will get inside and on every nook and cranny of your property, but considering the coronavirus pandemic, they will survey it only from the outside.

If they were unable to contact you or saw your property is still livable, then your disaster assistance might get denied. Now, it's important to note that if your insurance already covers all the damages that your property incurred during the New York flooding, your disaster assistance will also get denied. It's also important to mention here that if more than one person applied for disaster assistance, one of these two people will get denied.

Disaster Loans

Now when it comes to disaster loans through the U.S. Small Business Administration loan, this would come into play if you need more financial assistance of $200,000. Most of the time, we see business owners utilize this option to have their business bounce back from any flood damage and we might see it in New York as well.

What's important to note here is that these are low-interest, low-term loans that aren't covered by your insurance by they can get any amount written in your disaster assistance and flood insurance. Generally, this means that you can get all three at once however it's most likely that your SBA loan will collect your insurance coverage, disaster assistance, and put it into one disaster loan. This disaster loan can cover uninsured buildings, contents, or sometimes even vehicles. 

Flood Insurance

Now, we've talked a lot about flood insurance whether it's from FEMA or the private flood insurance market, and the thing is you really won't need to apply for disaster assistance and disaster loans if you have everything correctly written on your policy.

A standard flood insurance policy will cover any flood-related damage for any homeowner and/or any business owner. This coverage maxes out at $250,000 in building damage and $100,000 for the contents within the insured building when getting the flood policy from FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).

Although this recent presidential declaration from Biden would help you also get additional living expenses from FEMA and the NFIP, generally this won't be included in your coverage with federal flood insurance.

Good thing is that the private flood insurance market will be more versatile with its coverage as it doesn't really have any coverage limits. Generally, private flood policies can cover you for more than $250,000 and $100,000 for building and contents coverage respectively. You also get to easily opt-in for additional coverage such as additional living expenses, loss of use, and replacement costs.

It's important to note that even with flood insurance, disaster assistance is still up for grabs however this may impact your flood insurance rates and flood insurance premiums as most of the time, a property that applied for disaster assistance gets moved into a high-risk flood zone.

All of these options will be available for New York especially after what happened with Hurricane Ida however you need to be very mindful of which ones you really need since it can bite you back in the future.

If you have any questions on disaster assistance, disaster loans, how to get flood insurance, and understanding your flood risks, reach out to us below:

Remember, we have an educational background in flood mitigation which lets us help you understand flood risks, your flood insurance, and mitigating your property long-term.

Hurricane Ida is getting closer to about to leave, but it won't leave quietly.

At the time of writing, the remnants of Ida caused New York City to receive their first flood warning. At least 8 people are already confirmed dead due to this terrible weather we're getting from the hurricane and this flood warning is a testament that the impacts of any hurricane can come from many ends, not just rain.

Today, we want to talk about what this could mean for flood insurance, how to best prepare and protect yourself from any flooding damage caused by Hurricane Ida.

The Empire State

The concrete jungle of New York City is currently holding on tight as its streets are starting to get inundated by floodwater. A flood warning was issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) earlier today to give a heads up as there is an expected rainfall amount of at least 3-6 inches of rain.

NBC New York (NBC News) reports that 6 people are already confirmed dead in New York just yesterday and this number is still going up. It's no surprise that the NWS has declared multiple flash flood warnings across New York and New Jersey.

Among the other deaths reported in New York City, a 48-year-old woman and a 66-year-old man died after being found at separate residences, and a 43-year-old woman and a 22-year-old man both died after being found inside a home. This also includes a 19-year-old man who was found dead in Montgomery County. Causes of death and identifications are yet to be announced. 

Police in New York City reported seven deaths, including a 50-year-old man, a 48-year-old woman, and a 2-year-old boy who were found unconscious and unresponsive late Wednesday inside a home according to Providence Journal.

Subway lines also had to shut down due to this weather event and a lot of commuters were stranded for a good while. Twitter is equally flooded with videos of locals showing the heavy flooding inundating cars. Subway Riders also posted videos showing that they had to stand on their seats in cars filled with floodwater.

All throughout this week, we've been covering a lot about the impacts of Hurricane Ida when it made landfall on Louisiana and caused brutal flooding. After that, we also saw areas in Virginia also face the impacts of Ida just a couple of days ago as a small town in Waverly gets washed away by this weather event.

As of now, a flash flood emergency is declared for the Bronx, Kings (Brooklyn), Western Nassau, New York, Queens, Richmond (Staten Island), and Southern Westchester areas in New York as heavy rains are still expected.

New York Flood Insurance

This hurricane hitting the northeast may be impactful when it comes to flood insurance as this proves that given the perfect cocktail of conditions, any place can flood. As we're fast approaching October 1st where the new Risk Rating 2.0 program will start to take place it's important to keep in mind some changes in federal flood insurance that may be impacted by this weather event.

As the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is about to take on a new face when it comes to flood insurance, we should also start seeing the big changes when it comes to understanding flood risks. At our current federal flood insurance program, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) doesn't really consider things like climate change and the nature of floods when it comes to their rating system.

Now, we'll start seeing a deeper look into the fingerprint of New York properties' flood risk. Each homeowner will be able to experience the same "equity in action" as FEMA pushes through with this new program. This simply means that property owners are rated based on multiple flood risk variables, which most of the time aren't the same as your neighbors.

It's equally important to be ready once the flood insurance rate map (FIRM) or flood maps start to change to address this type of flooding incident across New York. Although with the Risk Rating 2.0, the flood zone determination is only needed from a regulatory standpoint, it still is crucial to find the time to understand your risk better.

It may not be a tornado, storm, or flood that will surprise you, but your flood premiums blowing of the roof can really catch you off guard when it comes to these changes with the NFIP.

Equally, this also impacts people who are getting flood insurance from private insurance carriers. If you were to file a claim with your private carrier for the flooding you receive, it's not impossible that you might not get flood insurance from them again since you have had a successful claim in the last 5 years.

Hurricane Ida also showed some of the lapses in understanding how floods work. Looking at New York, one can say that it's not really a flood-prone area in recent years however this doesn't ring true now that we've seen how one hurricane can start severe flooding — even torrential rains can be enough to start major flooding in the area.

How To Best Prepare

The first thing that we want to remind people is to not ignore flash flood emergency warnings issued by the National Weather Service (NWS). I was scrolling through a tweet on Twitter when I saw a bunch of replies saying that they don't need to worry about all these floods because they're living on the fourteenth floor and things like that. However, water doesn't know the time and when to stop.

You can use your weather app on the phone to check how it's going with or without a hurricane. This also gives you enough visibility for your entire city. Maybe even Spider-Man and Captain America use these apps to get up-to-date.

A lot of people might say that they didn't have enough time to prepare for the possible catastrophic damage that hurricanes and floods can cause, but I digress. Let's all keep in mind that once that hurricane season starts, once winter ends and spring starts, or once rainfall is expected to drop on your area, floods may — most times will surely — follow. Water doesn't know time and flood zones so be safe out there.

If you have questions on flood insurance, how Hurricane Ida will impact flood insurance, what role does time really plays in flood insurance, or anything about floods, click below to reach us:

Remember, we have an educational background in flood mitigation which lets us help you understand flood risks, your flood insurance, and mitigating your property long-term. You too can be prepared when events like this happen.