Flash flood: Quick Facts

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The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

Nov. 5, 2026

News •

Heavy rains flood towns, dozens rescued on Georgia-Tennessee border • Nov. 5, 2026, 5:34 PM ET (AP)

Rain clears but flood risk remains high after destructive storms swamp normally arid US Southwest • Nov. 3, 2026, 3:03 AM ET (AP)

Flash flooding triggers evacuations in Southwest and dire warning for Colorado spa town • Nov. 2, 2026, 1:02 AM ET (AP)

Photos and Videos

Muddy, fast-moving floodwater surges over rocks and through trees, with dense green foliage in the foreground and forested riverbanks in the background.

Infographic showing a cross-section of a landscape with mountains, valleys, farms, and houses, illustrating how heavy rainfall from a storm cloud leads to water flowing downhill, pooling in low-lying areas, and causing a flash flood when the ground cannot absorb it. Numbered steps explain rain runoff, water buildup, and the impact of hard or dry ground on flooding.

A dry river bed and surrounding land.

Watch a desert thunderstorm and resulting flash flood scour the sandy soil and terrain

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