It’s amazing how water, a core necessity of life can turn into a monster and reveal its destruction claws. Floods are a common occurrence all over the world and can be caused by a number of factors including heavy rains, storms to failed dams and levees. The effects can be severe and the lives of people changed forever when this tragedy strikes but there’s a glitter of hope, floods can be predicted and even better controlled. Weather forecasts can give predictions and name flood prone areas and with this gift of foreseeing then we can arm ourselves to the letter.
Photo by State Library of New South Wales collection
Before the strike of a flood, damage control should be a priority for the safety of people and the structural layout of the house should be optimized to curb the flood aftermath. Furnaces, water heaters and even electrical wiring should be elevated as this could lead to severe injuries if exposed. Check valves should be installed in drainage systems and pipes to prevent backflow of water, i.e. in toilets and sinks and automatic flood proof doors and windows installed to keep the house secure. An emergency kit is a vital necessity at times like these and it should be easily accessible by any member of the family.
During floods, the risks of doom increase considerably. Switch off the main power supply and disconnect electrical appliances to move the probability of a shock attack to a zero, and attempt moving them to an upper room. Have a radio that can be kept on so as to stay informed on the warnings and reports on the flood. If an evacuation is the only way, climb to higher ground and avoid moving floodwater as only six inches can sweep you off your feet. Caution is a virtue especially when the night creeps in and shortcuts are not an option.
After a flood, a lot of damage occurs and water is in all you can see quantities, dirt and debris dominates the area and the world goes dim. Restoration should be done as fast as possible to avoid the hazardous health effects that could add salt to the wound. Reentering your home should only be done after the authorities have allowed it and only after the safety of the building is ensured. If fallen power lines are present, don’t step in puddles of water and report any smell of gas or propane. Slowly pump out the water and maintain top notch hygiene by use of disinfectants or sterilizing solution like chlorine.
There’s only so much we can do against floods, and the effects can be demoralizing, to the society and a nation at large. The futility of trying to completely eradicate floods is profoundly apparent since they are ideally, a force of nature and therefore out of our control. That said, we can only hope to prepare ourselves for its eventuality and limit its destruction using whatever means at our disposal. It is only through our readiness can we avoid being entirely at the mercy of floods as it metes out destruction.
Sky Aker – Patriot, Freedom Fighter, and Right Wing Conspiracist. Believes in survival, doomsday prepping, end of world scenarios and plans to be able to survive such events. Sky can be found hiding in his faraday cage protected bunker. Sky’s favorite saying: Even if the Earth fails, let the “nom de plume” survive.
