How To Protect Yourself From Flash Floods

How To Protect Yourself From Flash Floods

Over the past couple of weeks, residents of several parts of Nigeria experienced harvest of deaths caused by flash flood that happened after torrential downpour.

In Ondo state, 2 children were swept away by flood. This unfortunate scenario is quite similar across states in Nigeria.

This year, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) warned that many parts of the country are likely to experience flooding due to a shift in rainfall pattern caused by climate change

It is no gainsaying that the effects of flooding on affected residents are unquantifiable and devastating. The menace of flooding has rendered many people homeless, while not a few landlords have been stripped of their only landed properties.

So when there is an heavy rainfall, here are few tips to stay safe during an heavy downpour:

When everywhere is flooded, do not walk through moving water. As little as 6 inches of moving water can make you fall.

It’s very important that you do not swim or drive through flood waters. Turn Around, Don’t Drown!

It’s necessary that you stay off bridges over fast-moving water. Fast-moving water can wash bridges away without warning.

Most drivers don’t obey this but it’s very risky – you must not drive into flooded areas. If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground if you can do so safely.

Do not touch electrical equipment if you are wet or standing in water.

If your home is flooded, turn off your electricity when you return home. You should also stay away from downed power lines, and report them to the power company.

Once it rains, the ground cannot comfortably contain and absorb the water making it to runoff and resulting in so much water on the surface hence do avoid walking during rainfall, especially near drainage.

Stop dumping dirt/refuse into the drainage system, this can cause blockage thus causing undeserved dangers leading to overflooding.