The impact of flooding can be trimmed with this handy plan
The impact of flooding can be trimmed with this handy plan
Heavy rains and stormy winds can often flood your locality, sometimes in unprecedented ways. Weather conditions have become extreme and regions that were once deprived of water can now encounter heavy rainfall in a single day. Such an eventuality like flooding requires that everyone be ready well in advance at anytime.
Whilst these acts of god can strike at anytime there are a number of things you can do to try to safeguard your home from flash floods.
Take measures to keep water out of your house.
If you stay in an area which is prone to flooding, make sure that you cover up your windows and doors using sandbags, plywood or metal sheets. Silicone sealant is another thing that you can use during floods, to make sure that water doesn’t seep in into your home. Though these measures do not help over an elongated period, they may be beneficial in the short-run to protect from a flood and keep your home dry.
Take care to ensure that your utilities are turned off.
Make a point to turn off all utilities and services including gas, electricity and water. Electrical devices should be unplugged and kept away from water, preferably at a higher level. Water entry into homes often rises several feet but this will mean that the second floor is dry and any items you have stored there will not be impacted.
Take special care of the appliances and furniture.
Before the flood hits, move all your valuable goods and fixtures to the first or second floor, or at least onto the highest shelves.
For those who live in houses without upper floors like a bungalow, it is better to store the valuables on blocks or bricks. It is advisable to ensure that curtains, carpets, and doors within the house are taken out.
Store them all in high places to ensure that they are protected from water.
Important papers, pictures and other personal items should also be placed on higher grounds, particularly on the second floor of your house. To ensure total safety, you can put them up in waterproof containers like the ones used for storing food. At the least, place them in sealed plastic bags to keep them dry.
Make sure that all objects outside your house, such as rakes, are kept in a safe place. These items can be readily picked up by floodwaters, and this might prove dangerous for others in the vicinity. A locked building like garage can be an ideal place to keep valuable items as it prevents their floating away for the duration of a flood. Floods do not spare even heavy items like wheelbarrows as they could float away in water if left carelessly, however, garden implements can be kept safe and away from flood water when kept in garage or shed.
Certain things are to be kept in mind if there is a flood warning in your area.
Correct information is vital in such circumstances.
Hence, keep a watch over the news for announcements or updates by listening to the radio or television. Extend your full cooperation to emergency services and local authorities. If asked to evacuate comply immediately as delays can increase risk for you and the helpers who are trying to assist you.
Do not delay doing important work during the day as at night you cannot guarantee the availability of power. It is much more difficult and unsafe to do things in the dark. Also get batteries for your torches and know where they are.
Ensure that you share any information with your neighbours, particularly the elderly, so that they can properly prepare.
Avoid moving out of your homes. This is to ensure your safety as the flood water could be dangerous. You must be aware of the fact that rapidly flowing water above six inches can easily carry off an adult while above two feet can float away your car.
Be sure to safeguard your pets and cars in secure places. Climb up and stay on the second floor of your house if a flood warning has been issued in your area. 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.
Leaking sewage invariably finds its way into floodwater, so stay away from the water as much as you can. It really wont be a good idea to fall ill because of the contaminated floodwater. Where possible, steer clear of riverbanks, bridges over rivers and sea defenses during floods, as they are extremely hazardous places to be. Incidents of bridges and defenses collapsing are a common occurrence in floods.