ORLANDO, Fla. – Hurricane Debby has reminded everyone how unpredictable storms are and the devastation they can cause. Flooding is a problem even without hurricanes and knowing whether or not to purchase flood insurance is important. Checking to see where your property is located in relation to flood zones is critical.
A flood map is a representation of areas that have a high risk of flooding. These maps are created by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA, and are used to determine flood insurance rates and to help communities plan for and respond to floods.
The map shows each community’s risk of flooding, including specific flood zones and their boundaries. Go to this website, FEMA’s National Flood Hazard Layer (NFHL) Viewer then type your address in the search bar. The legend has different colors indicating whether or not you are in a high risk or moderate area prone to flooding. There are many other details as well.
If your home is in an area that’s considered low risk for flooding, for instance, the map will likely spell that out with an “Area of Minimal Flood Hazard” notation across the geographic area. Locations with a high risk for flooding are marked as “Special Flood Hazard Area.”
FEMA also groups communities into specific flood zones, each represented by a different letter of the alphabet. For example, higher-risk areas are typically labeled with codes that begin with the letters A and V, while moderate- and lower-risk areas have zones beginning with B, C or X.
Keep in mind that flood maps can change over time. It can be helpful to stay in touch with your insurance provider and stay aware of any proposed changes to the FEMA flood map in your community.
Climate change, development, wildfires, and other forces may change how water drains in your community. These changes may affect the risk of flooding in your area and can change your need or requirement for flood insurance.
Flood maps may also be available from local government offices, courthouses and libraries.
Another resource for Orange County is Flood Plain Community Rating System.
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