2012 End of World | 2012 Predictions | Survive 2012
SURVIVE A FLOOD
Notwithstanding the events of 2012, floods are presently the number one cause of weather related deaths in the US. Globally, floods killed approximately 100,000 people between 1990 and 2000.
Every year floods are killing thousands and otherwise affecting hundreds of thousands of people and livestock, ruining crops, and generally devastating areas of our globe. In the hurricane Katrina, many deaths were actually caused by flooding due to the collapse of man made structures. 2012 will see even more of this type of weather.
As our planet is cooling, we must be alert for more flood disasters. Cooling brings water and water related storms. Ice ages in the past haven't just been about more ice, they also were eras of wet, generally. While we might never experience an ice age in our lifetimes, we do and will continue to experience times of cooling and more water.
El Nina and El Nino systems will continue to cycle dryer and wetter weather systems. These two systems relate to the surface water temperature of water in the Pacific Equatorial belt. The change in surface temperature of this area of ocean will determine shifts in the pattern of rainfall in not only tropical areas, but will shift amounts of precipitation globally. Of course, even if most of the globe has been plunged into drought, it doesn't mean that your local area can't experience flood. It just means that there are weather cycles in which you can expect more and more severe flooding.
How do you know if you are at risk of flooding? Flooding can happen anywhere there is level ground, or in an area that is lower than surrounding ground. If you live near waterways such as rivers, reservoirs, lakes, or on seashores, you are at risk. You are at risk if you are travelling through any these areas at the wrong time. Very simply put, almost everyone can be at risk of getting caught in a flood at one time or another.
Flooding is an unpredictable event. Some flooding will occur over days or weeks as rivers rise and overflow banks or heavy rains continue after the ground has lost its ability to absorb water. Some, as mentioned before will happen in conjunction with other storm systems moving in. Another cause is rain during spring thawing. Public weather agencies will be watching if there are flood indicators and will issue alerts. However given the likely hood of massive flooding in 2012 these alerts may prove less than useful.
Your first line of defence against floods is to know that if you are in an area prone to flooding, you need to be prepared for one. You will want to have your important documents stored in waterproof containers, and on upper stories of your house if possible. You should make sure that the insurance policy you are protecting in the waterproof container actually will protect you if you are in a flood. Many policies have no flood coverage or very poorly written policies.
Make family plans for what you will do and where you will go in a flood emergency in 2012. Remember that if your children are at school and you are at work when flooding begins, you might be separated for awhile and you all need to know now where to expect to be able to locate each other if worse comes to worse. By discussing reaction plans you are also ensuring that your children will act with more level heads in an emergency.
Make sure you have a "bug out" kit handy and already assembled in case of evacuations. Remember to use perishables and restock the kit periodically. You may also want to have some emergency building supplies on hand if you have the ability to store them. When a flood alert is given, make sure to bring things in from your yard that you do not want to lose or that can cause damage if tossed in flood currents.
If you are told to evacuate, do so as soon as possible. Take your important documents
with you if you are evacuated. You never know how severe a flood will get and what
documents you will need during the clean-
Remember that because of the frequency of which people refuse to evacuate when warned to, officials are now prone to issue "stay at your own risk warnings" meaning that you might not have search and rescue teams coming after you if you ignore an evacuation warning. If your refusal to act risks the lives of others in an emergency, you may well be left to save your own hide.
Before you leave your house make sure to shut off your water valves, your electrical power switches, and your gas or oil valves. Accidents in homes caused by damage from flood waters are a leading cause of flood related deaths and injuries every year. Flood waters can create damage that will cause a fire or explosion as waters recede. Never light an open flame when returning to your home until you have your gas lines inspected. Electrical wires can be damaged and cause fires so have your electrical system inspected thoroughly before you turn your electricity back on. Use flashlights in the home until you can have it properly inspected.
When flood conditions become a risk and you may not need to evacuate, but may be
trapped at or in your home for awhile, Flood waters are usually contaminated and
fresh water supplies can become scarce or non-
If you live in an area that floods with frequency, you may want to own a boat or raft of some sort. There has been more than one family saved by the white water raft they keep in their basement. You can buy folding boats now that can be kept in small spaces yet are strong enough to hold together in rough waters. Remember that currents can be extreme in flood waters and make sure your boat is able to handle rough water.
You may also want to build retaining walls. Some people will stack sandbags when rivers start to swell and flooding threatens their area. Sandbagging is very hard and heavy work that takes awhile to achieve any actually helpful results and you need hundreds if not thousands of bags, so you might want to consider if you are going to be able to stock and carry enough bags to do you any good in emergency conditions before you bother to buy and stock sand. Sand bagging is most realistically a municipal project in which community members all help to stock bags to contain rising river waters.
Never walk into flood waters. The current in these waters is unbelievably strong and just six inches of water can sweep you off your feet. You never want to drive into flood waters either. Just two feet of water can float a vehicle, and there is only a 50 percent chance when you drive into them you will make it across even if the water does not appear to be deep. Roads underneath the water can be damaged by the current and you can't see that when you are in your car. Avoid being caught in your car in a flood at all costs. Over half of all flood drownings involve vehicles. If you can drive away from rising waters, do so. If you see a possibility that your vehicle is going to be caught in flood waters, abandon it and head to higher ground if possible, or at least away from rising waters if there is no elevated land to flee to.
While flash floods are often predictable, sometimes they can be a surprise even to seasoned weather experts. If you see flood waters approaching or rivers rising rapidly, get to higher ground immediately. Drive away from the water if you can. If you have to abandon your car to get to higher ground, abandon it. It can be replaced. If you can drive uphill, do so, but do not take time to search for a place that you can do so. The waters you see rushing or rising toward you are very likely moving quite a bit faster than you realize. You need to leave the car where it is and get to higher ground as fast as possible.
By being alert and understanding the danger of flood waters and safety measures to take during and after flooding, you stand good chance of surviving these disasters. By being prepared for the 2012 floods, you will not only be more likely to survive the immediate disaster, but will also make the job of cleaning up after the floods a lot easier. As every disaster survivor will tell you, the aftermath can be more of a disaster than the disaster itself if you are not prepared for it. There is no doubt that flooding is due to increase during 2012 and that it will contribute to the catastrophes we expect.
SURVIVING FLOODING IN 2012
2012 End of World | 2012 Predictions | Survive 2012