CENTREVILLE, Va. -

With the peak of hurricane season now upon us, new data from CARFAX showed flood-damaged vehicles are resurfacing across the country.

CARFAX estimates there are 408,280 flood-damaged vehicles on the roads nationwide, and experts said that number will likely rise following Hurricane Dorian that impacted the Southeast earlier this month.

Vehicles reported as flood-damaged by a state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Canadian province, insurance companies and more are in use in every state, and CARFAX determined these 10 states have the most:

1. Texas: 87,400
2. Florida: 28,900
3. Kentucky: 24,900
4. Pennsylvania: 19,800
5. North Carolina: 18,700
6. Illinois: 15,600
7. New Jersey: 12,600
8. Louisiana: 11,500
9. California: 11,300
10. New York: 11,000

“Our research tells us cars with a waterlogged history are everywhere,” CARFAX general manager of data Faisal Hasan said in a news release. “The ramifications of water damage can haunt unsuspecting buyers for years. Used car buyers need to be vigilant about checking for the warning signs of flood damage no matter what part of the country they live in.

“Make sure you do your due diligence; take it for a test drive, have a professional inspect it and check the vehicle history report,” Hasan said.

While geared for consumers, CARFAX also mentioned a list of the seven telltale signs of flooding that could help dealers, too. They include:

— A musty odor in the interior, which can sometimes be covered with a strong air-freshener

— Upholstery or carpeting which is loose, new, stained or doesn’t match

— Damp carpets

— Rust around doors, under the dashboard, on the pedals or inside the hood and trunk latches

— Mud or silt in the glove compartment or under the seats

— Brittle wires under the dashboard

— Fog or moisture beads in the interior lights, exterior lights or instrument panel

“What’s alarming about flooded cars is they are literally rotting from the inside out,” Carvana vice president Jeff Miller said in the same release. “In addition to the financial consequences, there are significant health and safety concerns. Water eats away at the mechanical parts, shorts the electrical system and can impact safety, compromising important features like airbags and anti-lock brakes. It’s not also not uncommon to see dangerous mold and bacteria in the car.”

To help alert consumers, Carfax is letting individuals check for reported flood damage free of charge at carfax.com/flood.