Do not get washed away by the next flood
Do not get washed away by the next flood
Strong storms and high winds often cause flooding, even in areas that are not prone to such an event. Less prone areas which were not previously flooded are now facing extreme atmospheric conditions sometimes leading to rainfall of one month in one day. Such an eventuality like flooding requires that everyone be ready well in advance at anytime.
You may not receive fair warning of a flash flood, but you can certainly take preventive steps to protect your house from drastic damage.
The first and foremost step is that you must stop water from coming into your home.
If you are expecting heavy rains or storms to hit your area, particularly if you live in a flood-prone area, you should cover your doors, or even windows, with metal sheets, sandbags, or plywood. A silicone sealant is a good water-proofing material that will keep your house free from water logs. These measures will not last for days but they may hold back a short lasting flood and keep your possessions dry.
It is advised to switch off all appliances during floods.
Always keep in mind to switch off the essential utilities like gas, water and electricity at the mains switches and valves. Electrical equipment must be unplugged and stored at height to prevent contact with water. The level of water entering the house can escalate to a few feet yet storing things at height in the home can prevent them from getting damaged.
Take great care of your furniture and other equipment.
Valuable appliances and furniture should be kept in elevated areas or upstairs.
If you do not have a second floor as you live in a bungalow, you can just raise such items on blocks or bricks. Ensure that you have removed all interior decorative items like curtains, carpets and sometimes internal doors which may be damaged by flood waters.
When all these goods are stored at high locations, they stand a much better chance of weathering the incoming water.
All personal documents, papers and such items must be sealed properly and stored in a dry place upstairs. Again, make sure to use waterproof containers like food storage containers to store away these. At the least, place them in sealed plastic bags to keep them dry.
Items usually kept outside the house, such as gardening implements, should be removed to a safe location. If not, these items will be floating on the flood water, which may pose a threat to others. Use your garage, a locked building, as the most suitable place to store precious garden articles which are prone to damage. A large item such as a wheelbarrow might be carried away if left where the waters can access it; if placed in a secure building, it will not be moved and the floodwater will not damage it.
Soon after the announcement of a potential flood, make sure to follow some important rules.
Keep you ears and eyes open for any sort of information.
So stay tuned to the radio for the latest news and warnings. Co-operation from your family with the local authorities and emergency services is essential. They may need you to move out of the house, which you must do quickly to avoid aggravating the risk to you and the emergency services.
As electricity if often unavailable in such cases plan to complete all preparatory work during day. Also doing things in the night can be risky. Also get batteries for your torches and know where they are.
Share the information with your neighbors, particularly the old people, so that they can also prepare themselves.
It is advisable to remain in your home. Floodwater can kill, especially when it is raging, so do not attempt to go out. Remember that two feet of water level causes floating of your cars, while six inches of water is enough to drown a child.
Ensure that your pets and cars are in a safe location. When a flood announcement is made, you must move upstairs to the highest floor of your house. There maybe objects floating in the water, so do not attempt to swim through raging flood. You can get hurt by these objects or you might even be swept away.
Floodwater is dirty due to the presence of sewage and any contact with it should be possibly avoided. It really wont be a good idea to fall ill because of the contaminated floodwater. The frontlines of waterbodies, such as bridges, riverbanks and sea barriers are the most risky places in a flood, so just stay away from such locations. Cases of floodwater demolishing or bringing down bridges and defenses are frequently recorded.