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Flooding - How to prepare for Flooding

...part of the extended info series on How to prepare your Personal Emergency Plan | this page is also accessed via bit.ly/PrepareForFlooding

Hydrological Hazards: Flooding | wave action, storm and tidal surges

Scenario Flooding | wave action, storm and tidal surges

   
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Flooding is a serious or major incident affecting property and people. Flooding often causes severe damage and may cost lives. Here is a closer look at how to prepare for flooding.

 

1. ASSESS your flood risk


2. PREPARE for flooding

 

    PREPARE to keep Flood Water OUT

  • sandbags may work well to keep flood water out (but no ground water floods, which need a pump). Contact your local builders' merchants for stocks of bags and sand and how to use them effectively. Consider self-absorbent flood bags as an alternative or additional resource (PDF how to use sandbags).
  • doors, windows and walls: install flood-proof doors and windows or flood boards that can be fitted when flooding is expected. Raise door thresholds to help keep shallow water out. Apply water-proofing sealant to exterior walls. Seal floors.
  • drains and pipes:  installing non-return valves will prevent wastewater from flowing back into the property causing serious contamination
  • landscape garden areas and driveways to help divert water; consider the impact on your neighborhood. 

 

    PREPARE to minimize Flood Damage

  • shelf valuable items securely on high mounted shelves; move TV, computers and all electrical to about 150cm above floor level; raise appliances on plinths. If rewiring, bring cables down the wall to raised sockets.
  • fit water resistant skirting boards or varnish wooden ones; lay tiles with rugs rather than fitted carpets; use synthetic or waxed doors, ensure that wooden doors are removed before a flood.
  • use water resistant material where possible throughout i.e. stainless steel, plastic or solid wood rather than chipboard and stone rather than carpet. Buy large sealable waterproof bags to protect large items.

 

3. STAY SAFE during the flood

Flood water is dangerous — a few inches of fast-flowing water can knock over an adult and two feet of water can move a car. Avoid walking or driving through flood water at all cost. Listen to the advice of the emergency services and evacuate if told to do so.

  • put your personal emergency plan into action; prepare to shelter in a high place
  • turn off gas, electricity and water supplies when flood water is about to enter your home and if safe to do so. DO NOT touch sources of electricity when standing in flood water
  • take pictures and log events throughout the incident but only when it’s safe to do so
  • call the Floodline on 0845 988 1188 to listen to recorded flood warning information for your area or speak to an operator for advice 24 hours a day
  • report flooding: incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 (when to call the 24 h free hotline)  or report it online GOV UK;
  • DO NOT drive or walk through a flooded area. A person can be knocked down by as little as six inches of moving water
  • tune in to local radio; check the three day flood risk forecast
  • know about the consequences of flodding to your food safety and hygiene; EVAQ8 blog especially Emergency Preparedness and Food Safety in the UK and  UK Emergency Preparedness: hygiene and emergency sanitation 

 

4. RECOVER after the flood clean-up

 

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 2014 Floods England: source The Guardien at https://static-secure.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2014/2/13/1392322923647/Flooding-on-Somerset-Leve-014.jpg

Topographic map / source: wiki http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Topographic-Relief-perspective-sample.jpg/300px-Topographic-Relief-perspective-sample.jpg

 


How to protect your home from flooding / source: http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/64390000/gif/_64390455_flood_house_464.gif

 

STAY SAFE during a flood / source: http://www.ses.nsw.gov.au


Flood clean-up / source: http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01803/australia-floods-b_1803765i.jpg

 


 
 

Select sources:

Personal Flood Plan (UK Gov); FloodAlert EA interactive live flood map; River and Sea Levels for EnglandEnvironment Agency i.e. online floodplan; National Flood Forum; SEPA; Northern Ireland Gov; MetOffice and EA on supertides; useful basic guide: Alex Tingle's online sea-level rise plotter ; floodmap.netMetOffice sea level rise; BGS Sea Level and Coastal Changes; National Flood Resilience review (2016)
MetOffice severe weather; highways agency travel information; driving in adverse weather; BBC Q&A Floodinsurance; FloodRe;

CEH Natioanl River Flow archive and Flood Estimation Handbook; Sea Level Data Sets by PSMSL|  UK Climate Projections UKCP09 | Hull Flood Project Lancaster University "After the rain"

Tsunami - not in Britain. Think again: BBC Earth The terrifying tsunami that devasted Britain some 8000 years ago...; Bristol Channel Floods, 1607 the tsunami hypothesis

GOV.UK Animal welfare in severe weather; Royal Life Saving Society RLSS;

Game of Floods (Marin County) now available as an archived page

 
 

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This page was last reviewed 10 Oct 2016 | This page was last updated 13Jan2017