PREPARATION BEFORE FLOOD

 

• Construction of buildings

  • Construct houses, hand pumps, livestock huts on higher grounds. Avoid building in a floodplain.

  • Construct on high plinth.

  • Modify houses by raising the floor level higher above ground.

  • Store food stock, fuel, essential clothes and drinking water as high as possible within the house such as lofts.

  • Inside the building/house ensure good slopes for quick drainage of water after flood recedes.

  • Openings for water drainage from buildings must have jhalis installed to protect against entry of reptiles, insects and rodents into house.

  • For septic tanks make arrangements for closing the outlet of the tank by providing a manual valve or pushing gunny bag inside the outlet. Manhole covers should be tight and vent pipes higher than the maximum expected flood level.

 

• Communication

  • Listen to the radio or television regularly for information.

  • Devise warning methods for the village community such as beating of drums and making announcements.

  • Keep your community aware of the warnings by suitable vernacular methods like beating of drums and making announcements.

 

• Evacuation

  • Identify evacuation routes and destinations.

  • Identify community volunteers who will lead and direct during evacuation.

  • Create a pool of volunteers who are experts in swimming, diving and other rescue operations.

  • Maintain evacuation routes free from obstructions for mass evacuation including livestock.

  • Be prepared to evacuate your house. Pack a bag with important items like food, jewellery, important documents in case you need to evacuate. Don't forget to include needed medications.

  • Keep lifesaving objects like life jackets, swim tubes, hurricane lamps, and ropes, bamboo sticks in your possession and at a safe and easily approachable place.

  • During evacuation, move in file/lines, without panic and never create crowds. Follow instructions of volunteers.

  • While leaving your house ensure that the manual valve of septic tank outlet is closed or gunny bag inserted to prevent backflow.

  • Be aware of first aid treatment of snake bites such as tying the affected part or keeping it below the level of heart.

  • When flood is imminent, turn off utilities at the main switches and disconnect electrical appliances.

  • If possible, bring in outdoor furniture and move essential items to an upper floor.

 

• Care of elderly, children and people with special needs (disabled).

  • Identify such people and plan specific aids (wheelchairs/palanquin and improvised stretchers) and volunteers for specific assistance.

  • Tie identification tags to bodies of children below age of 12 years.

  • Devise an improvised method of carrying babies with you while keeping your hands free for holding other children and luggage with you. (Cloth, Wrap, Tie)

  • Keep floating objects like large pan bucket (Chilamchi), improvised reed boat handy for needs of such people.

 

• Village community level planning

  • Regularly discuss about the points mentioned above in village meetings.

  • If your area is flood prone, keep a few life boats under panchayat ownership.