Floods
Weather patterns are changing. And so are the chances of seeing
everything you've spent years building washed away in minutes.
Just consider the facts about floods. A flood moves with
frightening speed. There are more floods than any other natural
disaster in America. The truth is, 90% of all natural disasters in
this country involve floods. And in the last two years, floods
have hit homes and businesses in all 50 states. What's more,
almost 25% of all flood claims come from areas no one considered high
risk.
Floods and flash floods are the leading weather-related killers in
the United States. In the past 30 years, floods have accounted for
nearly double the fatalities as lightning, the second leading cause.
Flooding in West Virginia is a serious problem. Thirty-six people
have been killed in the last 10 years alone in floods and flash floods
in West Virginia.
Three types of floods occur in West Virginia:
- General River Flooding occurs after long-term
heavy rains, snow melt or a combination of the two. It usually
occurs slowly, allowing more time to move people and property to
safety.
- Flash Flooding is always life threatening and
occurs very quickly, as the name implies. Flash flooding
typically occurs in hilly or mountainous areas, but can occur
anywhere when heavy rain falls in a short period of time.
Flash flooding can also be caused by a dam failure, as was the case
on February 26, 1972, along Buffalo Creek in Logan County.
After 3 - 4 inches of rain overnight, a coal-slag dam failed,
killing 125 people.
- Urban and Small Stream Flooding is a more
subtle flood threat. It can occur when heavy rains fall in an
urban or rural area, resulting in flooding streets, underpasses, or
drainage ditches in urban areas, or creeks in rural areas. It
is not normally a threat unless motorists drive through the flooded
road or children play in flooded drainage ditches. Small
stream flooding can be hazardous if persons get too close to a
swollen creek.
What steps can you take to prepare for floods?
- Assemble a Disaster
Supply Kit. Use a duffle bag to store supplies you would
want to take with you in an evacuation. Include a portable
battery powered radio, flashlights, extra batteries and emergency
cooking equipment. Pack a first aid kit, extra clothing,
blankets, bottled water and some food.
- Take time now to learn the flood evacuation route from your home
and business. Do not wait until the water rises to discover
the safest or quickest route to higher ground, or you may find
yourself treading water.
- Buy flood insurance, and bring your insurance policy with you
when you evacuate.
- During a flooding situation, be prepared to evacuate before the
water reaches your location. If caught in a building during a
flood, move to the highest floor or the roof and wait for help.
Do not try to swim to safety. The strength of a flood water
current can be deceiving. If you are in a car and water starts
to rise, get out and move to higher ground. Remember that just
six inches of rapidly moving flood water can knock a person down!
- One of the biggest precautions residents need to follow during a
flood is not to drive or walk into an area already underwater.
Many people die in vehicles while trying to cross roadways because
the road surface could be washed away or the road could dip and the
water level could be much deeper than expected. It only takes
two feet of water to carry away many of today's cars. Trucks
and four-wheel drive vehicles are also susceptible to being swept
away by high water. Such vehicles often give motorists a false
sense of security, believing they can drive through high water.
This could be an even more dangerous situation at night because
visibility may be limited. Even if the vehicle in front of you
successfully crossed a water-covered road, it is best to find an
alternative route or to wait. If you get stuck, you are not
only risking your own life, but the lives of rescue personnel.
- Never let children play near creeks or storm drains. Every
year, deaths or injuries occur as a result of people getting swept
into a creek or storm drain, with the most frequent victims being
children. On July 9, 1997 a 12-year old boy was sucked into a
14 inch drain pipe and drowned in Barboursville.
- If you live in a low-lying area or near a creek, pay close
attention to water levels during heavy rain events. Water
rises rapidly during flash floods, often taking victims by surprise.
Be prepared to move quickly to higher ground if water level begin
rising rapidly.
- If you are camping, never set up your tent or camper right on
the bank of a river or creek. It is best to allow some
distance and elevation between your campsite and the creek, so if a
flash flood does occur, you will have more time to move to higher
ground.
- If you have time, turn off all utilities. Move valuables
to upper floors or higher elevations. Fill bathtubs, sinks and
jugs with clean water in case regular supplies are contaminated.
- When deep flooding is likely, permit the flood waters to flow
freely into the basement of your home. This will avoid
structural damage to the foundation and the house by equalizing the
water pressure on the outside of the basement walls and floors.
After the Flood
- Stay away from flood water. The water may be contaminated
by oil, gasoline or raw sewage. The water may also be
electrically charged from underground or downed power lines.
- Be aware of areas where flood waters have receded. Roads
may have weakened and could collapse under the weight of a car.
- If your home, apartment or business has suffered flood damage,
immediately call the agent or broker who handles your flood
insurance policy. The agent will then submit a loss form to
the National Flood Insurance Program. An adjuster will be
assigned to inspect your property.
- Prior to entering a building, check for structural damage.
Make sure it is not in danger of collapsing. Turn off any
outside gas lines at the meter or tank, and let the house air for
several minutes to remove foul odors or escaping gas.
- Upon entering the building, do not use open flame as a source of
light since gas may still be trapped inside.
- Watch for electrical shorts or live wire before making certain
that the main power switch is off.
- Cover broken windows and holes in the roof or walls to prevent
further weather damage.
- Proceed with immediate cleanup measures to prevent any health
hazards. Perishable items which pose a health problem should
be listed before discarding. Throw out fresh food and previously
opened medicines that have come in contact with floodwaters.
- Water for drinking and food preparation should be boiled
vigorously for ten minutes until the public water system has been
declared safe.
- Refrigerators, sofas, and other hard goods should be hosed off
and kept for the adjuster's inspection. A good deodorizer when
cleaning major kitchen appliances is to add one teaspoon of baking
soda to a quart of water. Any partially damaged items should
be dried and aired out; the adjuster will make recommendations as to
their repair and disposal. Take pictures of the damage done to
your building and contents.
- Take all wooden furniture outdoors, but keep it out of direct
sunlight to prevent warping. A garage or carport is a good
place for drying. Remove drawers and other moving parts as
soon as possible, but do not pry open swollen drawers from the
front. Instead, remove the backing and push the drawers out.
- Shovel out mud while it is still moist to give walls a chance to
dry. Wash with a mild soap solution and rinse with clean
water; always start at the bottom and work up. Ceilings are
done last. Clean out heating and plumbing systems.
- Flooded basements should be drained and cleaned as soon as
possible. However, structural damage can occur by pumping
water out too quickly. After the floodwaters around your
property have subsided, begin draining the basement in stages...
about 1/3 of the water volume each day.