Public Information Statement
Issued by NWS Aberdeen, SD

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NOUS43 KABR 251123
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MNZ039-046-SDZ003>011-015>023-033>037-045-048-051-252330-

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ABERDEEN SD
623 AM CDT THU APR 25 2013 /523 AM MDT THU APR 25 2013/

...SOUTH DAKOTA SEVERE WEATHER AWARENESS WEEK...DAY FOUR
...FLOODS AND FLASH FLOODS...

ON A NATIONAL LEVEL...
FLOODS CLAIM NEARLY 100 LIVES ANNUALLY...FORCE 300,000 PERSONS
FROM THEIR HOMES...AND RESULT IN PROPERTY DAMAGE IN EXCESS OF 2
BILLION DOLLARS. CHARACTERISTICALLY...75 PERCENT OF FLASH FLOOD
DEATHS OCCUR AT NIGHT WITH HALF OF THE VICTIMS DYING IN THEIR
AUTOMOBILES OR OTHER VEHICLES. IT MAY BE DIFFICULT TO
BELIEVE...BUT MANY DEATHS OCCUR WHEN PERSONS KNOWINGLY DRIVE
AROUND ROAD BARRICADES INDICATING THE ROAD IS WASHED OUT AHEAD.

LAST YEAR IN SOUTH DAKOTA...
FLOODING AND FLASH FLOODING CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO CROPS AND
PROPERTY LAST YEAR. THERE WERE 2 FLOOD-RELATED FATALITIES LAST
YEAR.

ARE YOU PREPARED...
ASSUME A THUNDERSTORM PRODUCES 6 INCHES OF RAIN IN LESS THAN 6
HOURS TIME NEAR YOUR COMMUNITY. STORMS OF THIS MAGNITUDE OR
GREATER OCCUR SEVERAL TIMES EACH YEAR IN THE U.S...WOULD YOU KNOW
WHAT ACTION TO TAKE TO PROTECT YOURSELF AND THE PEOPLE WHO DEPEND
ON YOU FOR SAFETY? AFTER A MAJOR FLOOD EVENT ONE OF THE MOST
COMMON QUOTES FROM THE SURVIVORS OF THE FLOOD IS THE EXPRESSION
THEY DID NOT BELIEVE IT COULD HAPPEN TO THEM OR IN THEIR
COMMUNITY.

BEFORE THE FLOODING...
THERE IS NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO TO PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE OF
FLASH FLOOD PRODUCING RAINFALL. HOWEVER...BY STRIVING FOR
SOUND FLOOD PLAIN ZONING...DEVELOPING AN EMERGENCY ACTION
PLAN IN ADVANCE OF THE DISASTER...PURCHASING FLOOD INSURANCE
AT LEAST 30 DAYS BEFORE THE FLOODING...AND BEING AWARE OF THE
DANGERS ASSOCIATED WITH EXTREMELY HEAVY RAINFALL AND
FLOODING...THERE IS A CHANCE OF DECREASING THE DEATH TOLL AND
PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT RESULTS FROM FLASH FLOODING.

$$
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