Horrifying Tsunami Video
Author: Flood Expert Donna Conneely
Most people would agree that there is nothing anyone can do to prevent property damage and destruction during an extreme flooding event such as the one in this terrifying video:
Most people would feel that when faced with the awesome wrath of nature that is a tsunami there is no defense at all. As usual, most people would be wrong. Look at the video again and you will notice that although cars and trucks are being tossed around like toys, many buildings remain standing. If a well-constructed building can survive an onslaught such the one as we have just seen, it can also be protected.
In the past few decades we have seen technological leaps and bounds in countless disciplines and applications. Medical science, communication technology, transportation, physics, genetic engineering — all these disciplines and more have made huge strides and practical advancements. The same is true for the technology of flood protection.
Today it is possible to design and implement a flood barrier system that, while unobtrusive under normal conditions, can spring into place automatically when disaster strikes. A well-designed flood barrier system for commercial properties is capable of defending against the buoyancy of large objects such as vehicles and dumpsters, and can withstand huge weights and impacts.
In order to fully protect commercial properties, it is necessary to assess the risks that can be anticipated in a given area before disaster strikes. If such an assessment determines that there is a risk of receiving impact loads from floating debris, a proper flood emergency response can be designed and installed. As incredible as it may seem, we now have the technological ability to construct flood barriers that can help save commercial property — even during a tsunami.