Floods

Floods are a common occurrence and perhaps one of the most destructive hazards in the United States. Flooding can develop slowly, after constant rain for hours or days, or can develop quickly, as in the case associated with Hurricane Katrina where the levees in the Greater New Orleans area were either breeched or overtopped by the waters.In any case, flooding is a serious problem which can cause billions of dollars of damage to a community. The dangers imparted by flooding include the debris carried by the flood waters such as rocks, mud, sewerage, chemicals, etc. In addition, many people underestimate the amount of water on the streets and believe that they can either walk or drive through the flood waters. Over 200 people per year die due to floods. It takes only 18 inches of water to flood a small car, and approximately 2 feet to flood an SUV. Water may also be electrically charged from underground or downed power lines during a flood.

Below are other terms associated with flooding:

Flash floods- flooding which develops quickly, and in some cases without any visible signs of rain or thunderstorms. Examples include levee and/or dam breaks, and flooding due to rivers overflowing.

Flood Watch - Flooding is possible. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.

Flood Warning - Flooding is occurring or will occur soon; if advised to evacuate, do so immediately.

Flash Flood Watch - Flash flooding is possible. Be prepared to move to higher ground; listen to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.

Flash Flood Warning - A flash flood is occurring; seek higher ground on foot immediately (do not wait for instructions to do so).

It is important to be aware of flooding and its hazards regardless of where you live. Every state is at risk from this hazard. Find out from local authorities if you live or work in a flood-prone area. Pay particular attention to this hazard if you live in coastal or low-lying areas. If you live near bodies of water, and especially if you live downstream from a dam or levee, you may be at an increase risk for flooding

(General information on emergency preparedness can be found here.)

Prepare for flooding

Be aware of any areas near your home or in your community known to flood suddenly. Flash flooding is of particular concern, and may occur without any warning such as heavy rain.
Look around your home, especially in the basement and near lower-level floors to see if there are any areas where water seepage can occur. Waterproofing might be necessary.
Listen to local news reports about potential floods.
Do not walk through moving water. As little as six inches of water can make you lose your balance and fall.You may want to use a stick to check how deep the water is and if the ground is firm where you are walking.
Do not drive through flood waters.
Prepare a disaster kit.
Create a disaster plan that includes what to do in case of flooding :
- Secure your home.
- If you have time, bring outdoor furniture, items inside.
- Turn off utilities (electricity, water, oil, gas) before you leave
- Fill your car’s tank at the first sign of trouble.
- Learn how to swim!
- Purchase lifejackets and place in home and car if possible.
- Move valuables to higher ground if possible.
- Bring important documents, including insurance papers with you.
- Lock your house before you leave.
- Stay out of flood waters
  - Pollution, chemicals, raw sewerage
  - Falling through an open manhole is no fun!
What about flood insurance? Flood losses are not covered under homeowners’ insurance policies, so you must purchase a separate insurance policy for flood damages. FEMA manages the National Flood Insurance Program, which makes federally-backed flood insurance available in communities that agree to adopt and enforce floodplain management ordinances to reduce future flood damage.
- You can obtain flood insurance through insurance agents. Check your homeowner’s insurance company to see if they also issue flood insurance. You may also want to shop around for the best rates.
- There is a 30-day waiting period before flood insurance goes into effect, so try to obtain flood insurance as soon as possible. Flood insurance is available for building and contents and even available for buildings not identified as in a flood-prone area.

When returning to you home after the waters recede, and the authorities tell you it is safe to return, proceed with caution.

Be aware of areas where floodwaters have receded. Roads and/or bridges may have weakened and could collapse under the weight of a car.
Do not stand in water to reach your electrical fuse box. If you smell gas, get out of your home and call a professional. Stay away from downed power lines, and report them to the power company.
Stay out of any building surrounded by floodwaters.

The cleaning of your home after a flood can be quite labor-intensive. You want to try to remove as much mud and water from your flooring as possible. You want to ventilate your home and thoroughly hose down everything that may have been in flood waters if this is possible. (Check with manufacturer’s recommendations to determine which items in your home can be cleaned with water and/or chemicals, and which cannot.)

It is easier if you try to clean one room at a time. If you are using any type of chemicals in the cleaning process, please read directions carefully and ventilate your home if this is required. People died after Hurricane Katrina because they were using bleach to disinfect and to clean the mold from their homes and did not properly ventilate their homes in the process.
- Use gloves to disinfect and clean all surfaces.
- 2 ounces of bleach per gallon of water
- Clean hard surfaces, countertops, walls, etc.
- 2 buckets - one with bleach water, one with clean water to rinse out mop and sponges
- Never mix bleach with ammonia!
- More information on cleaning up after a flood can be found here.
If electricity has been off for more than 4 hours- check the perishable items in your refrigerator. When in doubt, throw it out! For frozen foods - if there are ice crystals on them, they should be OK.If not, throw it out!
- If flood waters got into the refrigerator - possible contamination of food may have occurred- may need to throw everything out!
- If food in kitchen cabinets got wet- throw it out!

Find out more about food safety during natural disasters by clicking here.

The American Red Cross has additional information on repairing your flood-damaged home. Click here.

Additional information on flooding can be found at:

www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/InlandFlooding.pdf

www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/TheHiddenDangerEnglish.pdf

http://www.weather.com/safeside/flood/