Believe it or not, floods are the most common natural disaster that occur in America.
According to statistics from the Red Cross, more than a hundred people are killed by floods every year. The cost damages caused by floods exceeds four billion dollars. Much of the severe flooding in America has occurred around the Mississippi River and in Texas, as well as along the Gulf Coast and Florida, because those areas are vulnerable to hurricanes, but flash flooding can and does occur in all 50 states.
Some recent flood events include the 2017 flooding in the Houston, Texas area caused by Hurricane Harvey. The flooding in the region displaced 30,000 people, damaged or destroyed more than 200,000 homes and businesses and resulted in 89 fatalities. Also in 1972, Hurricane Agnes brought torrential rain to a wide swath of the eastern United States causing flooding that resulted in 128 deaths. The southeastern part of the United States was torn asunder by tornadoes and floods in 1998 that cost the lives of 132 people. In 2012, Superstorm Sandy swept across New York and New Jersey knocking out subway service in New York City, destroying multi-million-dollar homes at the Jersey Shore, and resulting in the deaths of 233 people. In 2005, Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf coast taking the lives of 1,833 people. When the levees failed around New Orleans, 80% of the city was flooded.
The following are few tips and advice you could do in order to prepare yourself for any flood inevitability.
Expect the expected
It is important that you clearly understand and that you are aware of any damages that a flood could cause. Some of these inevitabilities include trees that are ripped out from the ground, sliding debris, buildings that are destroyed as well as bridges. Floods also frequently damage power transmission and sometimes power generation, which then has knock-on effects caused by the loss of power. This includes loss of drinking water treatment and water supply, which may result in loss of drinking water or severe water contamination.
Do not be afraid to ask
You should ask around your local zoning and planning office as to whether the property you are on is below the level of a flood or above it. Also, it is always good to know if the area you are in has had a history of being flooded. This knowledge helps a lot in the preparation of activities and tasks to do in case if a flood does hit.
In your own community, it is best that you familiarize yourself in any or all of the warning signals or signs whenever a flood does occur. Pay attention to weather reports regarding flash floods, flood watches, advisories, or warnings.
- Flood watch – means the weather experts expect a flood in the area, but has not happened yet.
- Flood warning – means flooding is going on.
- Flood advisory – means the flood is either occurring or has already occurred and roads or streets may be underwater.
Learn, learn, learn
Know what your community’s plans are for evacuation. This helps you prepare yourself as well as your family and friends as on what to do as well as the step by step drill.
Have flood insurance
If you live in a flood plain, buy flood insurance. It helps if you have insurance that is tailored particularly when a flood occurs. Believe it or not, the insurance usually associated with home owners will not reimburse any damages you may have that are caused by floods.
Keep all vital documents
These documents include any policies for insurance, passports, birth certificates, etc. All these papers should – as much as possible – be kept in a box that is waterproof and one which is accessed easily.
Move, move, move
If your fireplace, furnace, electricity panel or water heater is in the basement or 1st floor of your house, you could consider moving it up to a higher level. In that way it will be a lot less probable for these to be damaged by raging floodwaters.
Plug it all
Plugging all trap sewers you have in your house using check valves actually prevent any floodwater from going into the drains of your house. During emergencies, using large stoppers or corks is also a good idea to plug tubs and sinks.
Check and build
Checking with the local building codes is a good idea as this will let you know whether it is okay to build walls for floods and to be used as barriers around your own house in order to prevent any floodwater from getting in your premises.
Waterproof it all
In order to protect walls of basements, seal them using waterproof compounds so that floodwaters would be unable to get in through any cracks.
Have supplies at the ready
Have a battery operated radio and additional batteries in case the power goes off.
Having supplies such as canned goods, portable water, first aid kits, spare clothing, and blankets are a must. Do not forget supplies for your pets if you have them.
All in all, preparation is always the best defense against floods.