Staunton recognizes Flood awareness week Virginia

Staunton, va. (Whsv) – floods are the most common and expensive natural disaster, suitable Department of Conservation and Recreation of Virginia. In Virginia, the week of awareness of floods is March 9-15.

Staunton is not a stranger to deal with floods. In 2020, Staunton experienced back floods That caused costly damage to the city.

“I had a flood study ordered immediately afterwards,” said Willow Hughes, a specialist in Staunton environmental programs. “Some of the solutions were a little expensive and we were looking at the things we could implement here and now. That’s how we got our flood sensor system. “

That Flood awareness system It was installed in June 2023.

“We have 10 locations throughout the city that have a stationary sensor either to record the depth of the flow there, or to record the amount of rainfall in the rainbow. They report every 10 minutes, “Hughes said.

Sensors can indicate when there is a flood, residents can register to receive alerts when there is a detected flood.

“Most of our center is right in the flood plan, (and) the stream is buried under buildings and roads,” Hughes said. “We have two flows that enter the center of the city in tunnels and when these tunnels reach the capacity, it causes floods.”

When there is a risk of floods, Hughes said it is important to be aware of what is happening and to be prepared:

“Do your best to prepare your property in the ways you can, so that the impact on your own property can be best attenuated,” Hughes said.

According to Virginia DCR, only 3% of the virginians have flood insurance. It is estimated that a centimeter of water can cause damage of about $ 25,000.