Do not get rained out by the impending flood
Do not get rained out by the impending flood
Flooding is often the result of high winds and powerful storms, even in areas not prone to such occurrences. With the extreme weather conditions that we are facing today previously unflooded areas can receive a months worth of rainfall in one day. Due to this extreme and unpredictable weather conditions, one should be prepared for any natural emergency or disaster such as floods.
Owing to the uncertain occurrence of these acts of God, you must undertake a number of measures to prevent your house from being affected with flash floods.
The first and foremost step is that you must stop water from coming into your home.
For those who live in highly vulnerable areas where heavy rains or storms are expected often, it is advisable to cover-up doors and windows using metal sheets, sandbags, plywood etc. 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.
Switch off any external services.
These utilities have to be shut down at the mains, not just for appliances. 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. Water that enters homes may rise to a height of several feet or more; the second floor will therefore remain dry, so that any objects stored there will not be affected.
You need to take good care of your furniture and other appliances.
Valuable appliances and furniture should be kept in elevated areas or upstairs.
If your house is a bungalow and therefore lacks a second floor, use blocks or bricks to elevate these items. It is advisable to ensure that curtains, carpets, and doors within the house are taken out.
Stock them up at a height so that they are screened from being exposed to water.
Use higher grounds, particularly your house’s second floor, to store personal items such as important papers and pictures. Use water proof containers like those used for food storage for storing important things. Otherwise, to make sure the important papers are safe against water, place them in sealed plastic bags.
Now focusing on objects external to your hose like garden furniture, keep them in a secure place. If not, these items will be floating on the flood water, which may pose a threat to others. Use a building that can be secured, such as a garage, to store items of value that might be carried away. For instance, floodwater can even float away a wheelbarrow if kept in the open, but if it is locked into a garage, the possibility is very low.
If a flood warning is issued here are important things you need to do once you a flood warning has been issued.
During such times, information plays a vital role to the decisions you need to make.
So stay tuned to the radio for the latest news and warnings. Offer your full support and cooperation to the local authorities and other emergency services. In case, they want you to vacate, just follow their instructions and your evacuation as quick as possible, since you are endangering your life as well as those of the helpers until you are safe.
All of your immediate tasks should be performed during the day, as it is very likely that electricity will become unavailable. Doing work in darkness becomes tedious and unsafe. Acquire appropriate batteries for your torches and know their location in the house.
When you get any such announcement, share it with your neighbors without fail, especially any older people, in order that they have enough time to get prepared.
Be sure to stay inside your house. Floodwater can kill, especially when it is raging, so do not attempt to go out. Fast paced water that is about six inches high can easily off-balance you while two feet is enough depth to float a car.
Cars and household pets should be removed to a place where they will be out of danger. As soon as you hear the flood warning announced move to the second floor. Since many objects may float in the raging floodwater, do not try to swim across to safety or a higher location. These objects could knock you over or cause you to be carried away by the floodwater.
You can also catch certain infectious diseases if you try to swim as the flood water is highly contaminated. It really will be a terrible situation if you survive the flood and later fell ill owing to contaminated water. Where possible, steer clear of riverbanks, bridges over rivers and sea defenses during floods, as they are extremely hazardous places to be. Cases of floodwater demolishing or bringing down bridges and defenses are frequently recorded.