No matter how less the annual rainfall of your area is, any unforeseen disaster may occur anytime due to sudden continuous rainfall, breaking of a dam, change in the course of an existing river, etc. We must always stay vigilant. However, if any natural disaster like flood takes place, we must not panic, and foremost save as many human and animal lives possible. These disasters are accompanied by loss of lives and grave property damage. Many epidemics follow a flood. Diseases like typhoid fever, cholera, malaria, dengue and dengue haemorrhagic fever, yellow fever, and West Nile Fever spread exponentially after the flood. Hence, it advised to protect yourself from coming in contact with floodwater as much as possible. Sometimes flood is caused due to internal issues like bursting of water pipe or overflowing of a bathtub, etc. A regular plumbing check should be carried.
Steps that you should follow when your home is flooded:
Check for the source.
If the cause of the flood is an internal issue, we must quickly call the plumber, until then we must try to fix the problem temporarily by ourselves. If it is possible to drain the accumulated water or change the course of the water, we must do that, to avoid a further increase in the amount of water.
Switch off the electricity supply.
All electrical appliances and electronic gadgets must be switched off to avoid the occurrence of short-circuits. The best and quickest approach is to turn off the main power switch if it is accessible.
Evacuate the premises.
The premises should be evacuated quickly, as the water level may further increase, and people may lose their lives or get drowned. If possible, then you must take away or place your important documents on an elevated shelf, so that they are not hampered by water. Once, you reach a dry and safe area, make sure that no one is injured, if anyone is injured, or you are in dire need of food, shelter or medicines, call for help,Â
Arrange a thorough clean up.
In case, you are unable to clean up the mess thoroughly; you must contact a flood cleanup company. They have the chemicals that are required to kill the disease-causing micro-organisms. Proper disinfection and sanitisation of the property is needed to ensure the well being of the citizens. With their experience in flood cleanup, these companies know how to drain water that has been accumulated in our premises. We can take their advice about the substances or articles that should be disposed of completely. Sometimes, when we try to clean the home by ourselves, we accidentally come in contact with floodwater and fall prey to infectious diseases. The flood cleaners have proper protective gears that are required to protect them from diseases and injuries. We must not merely enter the premises after the flood until it is properly cleaned and tested; any ignorance and hassle may lead to severe injuries and diseases. The Red Cross Society has issued some guidelines for cleaning f the premises; we must try to follow that.
Contact the restoration company.
Call the restoration company, so that they help you in recovering your damage and collecting shreds of evidence to support and authenticate your insurance claim. The flood may lead to a loss in business and business property, many times due to water damage expensive furniture and carpets have to be thrown away; some houses also collapse, the electrical and drainage network has to be recreated, these expenses become massive for the bearer. Hence, financial help from insurance companies become crucial.
