What's wrong with flooding - is there ever a silver lining?

High water under The Old Bridge, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Problem
Flooding is bad? So why did we divert to see it in Cambridge, England?

Why fill our minds with bad thoughts? Why read the newspapers every day, if it's full of depressing news about depressing people making bad decisions?

I suppose we are all programmed to seek out sad stories in order to prepare ourselves, most days to evade evil consequences and one day to face the worst day of our lives, the last day, with calm and resignation.

We are really seeking a way out. All religion, all science, all news, seeking a solution to the ultimate problem, death, or the everyday problems, justice, and solving practical problems, how to improve life.

Flood Dangers
What's wrong with flooding and flood water?

The first thing I notice, as a travel photographer, is the colour. Flood water is nasty, khaki colour, dirty stuff. You would not want to jump into it, to save yourself or rescue anybody else, and risk dirtying your clothes, staining your clothes, swallowing infected water.

You can't see what is underneath. No knowing what is underneath. In Florida and Texas and tropical coutnries, snakes and crocodiles. Anywhere, broken metal or glass or even twigs which can trip you trap your, scratch you and cut you.

Should I be trying to get out of my car window on a good day? I could find out if it's possible. Where should I put my feet to push? Do I need to turn my body? Is it better to face in or out?

Am I too fat? Do I need to diet in order to get out of a car window in an emergency!

The flood height marking is done around the world, done deliberately. Probably at first it was copying or merely dating the lines left by the rising tides. These lines show the areas below which you should not build your business or home.

Either building in safer places is merely achieved by common sense. Or, one step better, the local council checks the level and will not give planning permission.

I have seen the flood level markings at seasides in England's east coast. I asked local people about the reason for the markings, and how it affected them.

Silver Lining
Is there ever a silver lining to flooding? I know that volcanic ash can improve growth so that people choose to live near volcanoes. Similarly, people go back to their land by the sea in tsunami areas because they own the land, because it has good as well as bad memories, because the land near the sea provides seafood and food.

Singapore
In Singapore, storm drains are made to divert flood water. You can see the storm drains completely empty on sunny, hot days.

Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Then, after rain, they look like fast-flowing, filthy rivers. The canals are doing their job. Somebody thought of building the drains. The drains work. A success story.

After rain in Singapore, April 2018. Near Cashew MRT railway station. Photo by Angela Lansbury. Copyright.

Useful Websites
https://www.ready.gov/floods
visitbritain.com
visitbritainshop.com
visitsingapore.com
visittheusa.com 

Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.