Do you realise the incredible power water has and just what it can do to roads during flooding? Here are a few photos of how it can undermine the road you can't see because it's cover with water.
They demonstrate the danger of crossing floodwater in a vehicle and the risk you put yourself, anyone in the car with you or the people who have to rescue you in when you do.
Road markers and the sides of roads can often be swept away in floods and trying to get across stretches of water like this is extremely dangerous. You have no idea how fast it may be flowing nor the extent of any undermining of the road base.
Many people think 4WD or larger vehicles are more likely to cope - wrong, the force of water can push OR float any vehicle off the road.
Causeways can have the tar stripped from its surface, then the dirt underneath is eroded away. This is not a wide strip but it's wide enough to trap or snap an axle on a vehicle.
Culverts can be damaged. Look at how much this one has been damaged. Imagine if the tar remained but what was underneath it had been washed away. The "crust" of a road may look solid but underneath may have been eroded. That's happened to this culvert before.
Underwater you can't see these sorts of potholes. This hole is a foot and a half deep (half a metre).
A good foot of this road and half a lane has been washed away.
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Wow amazing shots Kylie. Definitely shows you the power of water.
ReplyDeleteBless you. We deal with this is SE Kansas every year. The recovery is not fun, but it's doable.
ReplyDeleteHey Eleni & Gillian,
ReplyDeleteFor those not aware of what water can do these sorts of shots can be eye-openers. There are a lot of people out there who risk crossing causeways and crossings when the water is "low". We can't stop them, only the police can do that.
I think we'd get less motorists eager to try crossing if they saw these sorts of photos.
Gillian, I hope your home is a safe distance from floodwater and you're not threatened by it. There's nothing worse than watching water get into houses and helping people evacuate. My heart aches every time.