dam break
Reservoir wall rupture
A dam break is the sudden failure of a dam structure, releasing the water it held back.
The term covers both the event itself and the resulting catastrophic flood: The dam break destroyed everything in the valley below.
Engineers study dam breaks to predict flood patterns and design safer structures.
Devastating, large-scale misfortune
- collapseSudden structural failure
- ruptureViolent tearing apart
- breachBreaking of agreement
- devastationSevere widespread destruction
destruction · havoc · wreckage · aftermath · casualties · fatalities · debris · failure
Overwhelming surge of water
- delugeSevere overflow of water
- surgeSudden powerful increase
- torrentViolent rushing flow
- flash floodRapid overflow from storms
downstream · floodplain · overflow · engulf · submerge · floodwaters · wall of water · crest
Removal from danger
- warningAlert about danger
- sirensEmergency vehicle noisemakers
- alertWarning or watchfulness
- rescueSave from harm
first responders · emergency services · crisis · hazard · evacuation order · evacuation route · shelter · emergency plan
Destruction from liquid intrusion
- property lossAssets gone or damaged
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- debris fieldArea of scattered remnants
- siltationAccumulation of fine waterborne particles
contamination · infrastructure damage · bridge collapse · road washout · livestock · rebuilding · restoration · cleanup
catastrophe
Devastating, large-scale misfortune
devastation · destruction · havoc · wreckage · aftermath · casualties · fatalities · debris · failure · structural failure
inundation
Overwhelming surge of water
flash flood · downstream · floodplain · overflow · engulf · submerge · floodwaters · wall of water · crest · watershed
evacuation
Removal from danger
rescue · first responders · emergency services · crisis · hazard · evacuation order · evacuation route · shelter · emergency plan · preparedness
water damage
Destruction from liquid intrusion
- property lossAssets gone or damaged
- destructionAct of completely ruining
- debris fieldArea of scattered remnants
siltation · contamination · infrastructure damage · bridge collapse · road washout · livestock · rebuilding · restoration · cleanup · insurance
- disastersdisaster, earthquake, earthquakes, catastrophe, floods
- floodsflood damage, flood warning, deluge, flood warnings, flash floods
- infrastructure failuresbridge collapse, potholes, power outage, power outages, sinkholes
- breakscrack, pause, fracture, shatter, rupture
- burstsburst, gush, spurt, squirt, jet
- water hazardsflash flood, river flood, coastal flooding, flooding, tsunami