Flooding and Climate Change – What To Do During and After a Flood

F loods, as you might know, are the large quantities of water present in an otherwise dry location. These happen because of overflowing rivers, lakes, seas, and other nearby water sources (dams) or heavy rainfall that sends draining systems over the edge. This is a widespread problem in the United States, and as climate change worsens, so do these disasters.

In the present article, we want to go over this pressing issue, namely the link between floods and climate change, so that you can better appreciate the situation and its severity. If you want to play your part and change things for the better for future generations or learn more about the natural disaster that is flooding, stick with us until the end of this piece.

Flooded Houses with Dirty Water

Flooding preparedness 101

You might not always know when flooding is about to happen, but you’ll obviously feel its effect during and after. So, here are some steps you can take to keep yourself safe in case you are caught off-guard.

What to do: During the flood

You should immediately turn on a news source like a radio or your phone and see what the authorities recommend doing. Meanwhile, know that at any moment, flash flooding can happen. So, avoid staying near high-risk areas (streams, large draining systems) and try to get to higher ground as soon as possible.

If you’re evacuating, the steps you should take if there’s time to spare are:

• Move anything you can from harm’s way (outdoor furniture or appliances) or bring them inside.
• Turn off the main electricity switch and water valve.
• Unplug every electrical device.

Under no circumstance should you handle electrical devices if water has already infiltrated your home. Put any valuable items you can’t carry into waterproof containers to prevent them from damaging. Also, release any livestock to increase their survival chance, and take any pets with you if possible.

If you’re going to be driving to a safer location, keep in mind the following:

• 6 inches of water can and will get inside your car, which might cause stalling or even stop the motor (get out immediately if the car stalls for too long).
• 12 inches of water will have your car floating, which is the point when driving is no longer an option.
• 2 feet of water will carry your car (even if it is a 4×4) and send it along with the moving current.

Using Dryers to Dry Floor After Flood

What to do: After the flood

After the water level subsides, you might think it’s safe to return and assess the damage, but that might only sometimes be the case. Consider the following:

• Keep your ears glued to the news, as additional flooding can still happen.
• Water still moving poses a high risk, so go only on steady ground (depending on your area, snakes or alligators might be lurking in the water).
• Moderate to heavily damaged areas are off-limits, as you might get trapped under falling debris.
• Don’t add another rescue mission for the emergency workers; if your area is safer, or you are authorized, and you must return (e.g., to save a person, an animal, etc.).
• Roads might still have water on them, or they might be closed down altogether (turn around if you encounter a stop in the way; your car might collapse the weakened structure).
• Suppose your house is safe to return to. In that case, Ice Energy suggests using dehumidifiers immediately to prevent or cut down on mold spreading so you won’t have an extra expensive step to take afterward.
• To avoid further accidents, keep the electricity turned off until all water and moisture have been dealt with.

Prioritize your health

Three basic steps that anyone can take to keep health risks to a minimum are:

1. Don’t drink just anything. Remember that water may now be contaminated, so drinking isn’t safe. Instead, try to find safe resources in stores or follow the news to hear if the water supply in your area has been affected.
2. Solve the leaks. Repair any pipework, water storage units, tanks, and anything that might’ve been damaged, and drain them of the polluted water. Do it yourself or try to find help as soon as possible.
3. Sanitize, sanitize, sanitize. Anything that got in contact with the water needs to be scrubbed down and disinfected right away. Even if it might not seem necessary, you never know what touched what during an event like this.

Prepare in advance, it makes a world of difference

Advanced preparation is possible, and it can take you a long way. Taking proper precautions can save your property and ensure you are out of danger when an unfortunate event strikes. Here is what you need to do ASAP if you want to be as cautious as possible:

• Go on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center website to see how high the risk of flooding is for your specific area.
• Consider investing in a flood insurance policy if you live in a high-risk area.
• Your community surely has a warning system for extreme local conditions. Sign up for it to stay notified via text or email before the situation goes sideways.
• Plan an evacuation route for the event of a flood so that you know what path to take when disaster strikes.
• Plan for mobility issues, too, like how you will communicate with friends and family and where you will stay in an emergency. You can visit the Red Cross website for information on shelters in these situations.
• You should make an emergency kit for this situation. It is, put items like bottled water, medicines, first-aid supplies, food, and a radio that works on batteries.
• Find a waterproof spot where you store copies of all essential documents.

Climate Change Activists Protesting

How climate change factors into the equation

There are a few reasons why this is an important factor in the more frequent flooding, seeing as these factors keep breaking records year after year. Here it goes:

Factor #1: High heat

In the last century, the overall temperature has increased by 1.8°F. Although it might seem unimportant, it has caused a 4% higher wetness, meaning that when it rains, it pours, and when it pours, it has a high chance of flood. And it will continue to worsen, as experts say there will be another 50% jump by the end of this century.

Factor #2: Sea level rising

Since rising heat levels, sea levels follow as the ice caps melt faster. As a result, an approximate height of 8 inches has been added to oceans, bringing the rising rate to a new high.

Factor #3: More natural disasters

Rain is just one phenomenon happening more often. Storms are also amped up, which can turn into highly powerful hurricanes. Those in categories 4 and 5 have been showing up all around the U.S., bringing incredible damage and leaving thousands without a home or causing deaths. But, like in the case of higher heat, hurricanes are also expected to worsen as time passes.

The combination of those 3 turns flooding into an unavoidable situation. Other than damaging properties, it also causes a spike in disease, as overflowing water gathers from many sources, including sewers, bringing all kinds of bacteria and viruses along, turning potable water into polluted water.

In conclusion, always stay safe!

Many have thought, “It doesn’t look so bad.” or “Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing!”. The outcome could have been better than they had hoped. Never underestimate natural disasters’ power, and always stay one step ahead. Even by doing so, there’s no way of predicting when things will start to spiral out of control. But, as they say, an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.