Floods can be the most hazardous natural disasters of all and threaten heavy losses to you and your property. Due to the absence of proper education on disaster management, even the slightest level of the flood can cripple away your several years of investment. To curb the huge losses, you should start understanding the risks from floods and taking steps to mitigate them is crucial.
Here are some tips for you on how to mitigate the impacts associated with floods. It is segregated in three levels, i.e. pre-, during and post so you can be assured of full preparedness.
Pre-flood Preparedness
You can take these measures any time from now to long before the rains start
- You must prepare a list of all the valuables. You must include the bill number, purchase cost, present cost estimation, BOM (if possible) and warranty validity in it. Also include the gifts you received and who gave it to you.
- It would be helpful if you do a photoshoot or videography of the house. You can take several shots of both the interior and exterior of your home to show all the damages and losses to your property. These pictures will help you in supporting your claim with the apt proof of your damages.
- It would be best if you considered doing a drill for training your whole family to reach the safe place from home, business, office, school, college and anywhere else they may be. You must make sure that the safe place you decide is far from the city or at least a different location as your locality. You should have more than one safe places, preferably in opposite directions.
- It would be best if you considered doing a drill for training your whole family to reach the safe place from home, business, office, school, college and anywhere else they may be. You must make sure that the safe place you decide is far from the city or at least a different location as your locality. You should have more than one safe places, preferably in opposite directions.
- Always carry a torch light, radio and pocket knife set as you can use them to clear your way to a safe escape.
- Store lumbers and empty plastic tanks that will help to float safely out of the floods. Get to know the storage spaces well even at your work or any other place that you visit often.
Get a Property Insurance with comprehensive coverage. Make sure to select all additional benefits to strengthen your claim. Share your insurance details with everyone in the family and update with your safety contacts too.
Preparedness During the Floods
You should take these measures as soon as the heavy rains start or meteorological department broadcasts the flood warning in your locality
- If you are at home with your family and water rises rapidly then you must consider moving everyone to the upper floors or roof.
- If you have a couple of minutes to evacuate, then you must unplug the electrical fuse, pull out the gas connection, tape everything to the ground and remove sharp items to higher levels.
- Pick up and take important things like food, water, blankets, radio, torch, medicines, extra batteries and insurance documents in a waterproof bag.
- If you are in a car, abandon it as soon as the water level rises to your knee.
Post-flood Cautions
You can take these measures once the water has started receding in your surroundings
- You should call your insurance agent or broker immediately to inform about your intention of getting the claim for all the damages to your property.
- Do not hurry to switch on your lights and gas connection. It would help if you took proper precautions before lighting anything hazardous as it may breakout a fire and cause harm to you and your family.
- After entering the house, you must start by examining and taking photographs of all the damages. Once your claim assessor shows up, you can show these to him and he can help you to estimate all that you should change and all that you only need to repair.
- You must not drain out all the water immediately after the water starts receding as it can cause severe damages to your structure.
- While you examine the structure, make sure that there are no potential threats of collapsing and would cause no harm to you and your family.
- Everything must be adequately cleaned by you using clean water and removing any silt or mud.
- Sundry everything by keeping in open but shaded area of your home,
- You can use ice or empty the hot water tank to have some clean water until the public water system is declared safe to consume for you.
We hope that these steps will help you to prepare and fight against any damages and recover the losses happened to your property due to the floods.