Your plan for the next flood warning
Your plan for the next flood warning
Strong storms and high winds often cause flooding, even in areas that are not prone to such an event. With the extreme weather conditions that we are facing today previously unflooded areas can receive a months worth of rainfall in one day. One should be well equipped for any circumstances including flash floods.
Although one cannot avoid natural disasters, you can surely protect your home from flash floods by following a few safety measures.
Prevent water from entering your home.
If you are living in a flood prone area, or anticipating severe rains and storms, covering the doors and windows with sandbags, plywood or metal sheets is highly recommended. You can also prevent water from entering your home by using a silicone sealant. Measures such as these will not last for days, but may shore up your house against a short-term flood and help to keep possessions dry.
All your utilities should be totally switched off during floods.
It is always important to shut down the mains utilities like gas, power, water etc. Remember to remove the plugs of all electrical appliances and place them at a height above the expected flood level, possibly the second floor of your home. 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.
You need to take good care of your furniture and other appliances.
It is essential to safeguard your precious furniture and appliances by storing them upstairs or on elevated areas downstairs.
For those who live in houses without upper floors like a bungalow, it is better to store the valuables on blocks or bricks. Be sure to remove carpets, curtains and even internal doors.
Store them all in high places to ensure that they are protected from water.
Use higher grounds, particularly your house’s second floor, to store personal items such as important papers and pictures. These valuables are best stored in airtight containers like food tins. In case of non availability of waterproof containers use sealed plastic bags or refuse sacks to safeguard important documents against water.
Rakes and other objects that are outside your house also need proper attention. Items floating in floodwater can be dangerous for others. Items which are expensive and can easily float away in water should be kept in a closed place like a garage. A seemingly heavy object like a wheelbarrow can be flung about and carried away by the flood, but it will be safe if stored inside your garage.
FThe following are the steps to be followed in case a flood warning is announced.
Correct information is vital in such circumstances.
Therefore, keep listening to the radio and pay attention for information and announcements. 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. It will be tough and unsafe if you perform these things in the dark. Keeping batteries and torches in places you will remember is a handy tip for coping with an emergency.
Do not keep the information that you receive to yourself, spread the word especially to the old people.
Do not try to go out of your house until and unless you are asked to. Do not attempt to leave it, as floodwater can be lethal, particularly when raging. Take notice of that fact that your car can float in two feet of water whereas six inches of rapidly flowing water is sufficient to make you fall.
Make sure to find some safe place for your pets and your familys cars. As soon as you hear the flood warning announced move to the second floor. During uncontrollable floods, it is not advised to swim as there would be items floating along which could hit you. If you risk this you may be knocked over by the floating objects.
Floodwater is dirty due to the presence of sewage and any contact with it should be possibly avoided. It would be a shame that you survived the flooding, but fell ill because of contaminated water. The most dangerous areas during floods have been river bridges, sea defenses, and riverbanks, so it is always better to stay away from these during such situations. The defenses and bridges have often collapsed in the past due to the floodwater.