Today flash floods are the No.1 weather-related killer in the United States, claiming an average of 140 lives each year, according to the National Weather Service.* And while you may not be building a boat in anticipation of flooding in your area, there are many simple steps you can take to protect your family and home.

Flooding takes various forms: river floods, caused by excessive rain or blockage; coastal floods, caused by winds and rains from tropical storms and hurricanes; and urban floods, which occur when storm sewers are unable to handle a torrential downpour and city streets become swiftly moving rivers.

The most dangerous type of flooding is a flash flood, which usually occurs within minutes or hours of a tremendous rainfall, a dam or dike failure, or a large break in an ice jam. Flash floods can sweep away everyone and everything in their path. They're so strong they can toss boulders around like pebbles, rip out trees and knock down buildings and bridges. Water may reach heights of 30 feet or more, and the rains that cause them can also trigger dangerous mud slides. While flash floods have caused many tragedies, some deaths might have been avoided if victims had listened to warnings and sought shelter on higher grounds.