10 safety precautions for city dwellers during floods

The perimeter wall of a house at Midland Court in South C, Nairobi, was brought down by floods on the night of October 17, 2014. Household items were washed away. PHOTO | FILE 

By EVELYNE MUSAMBI
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The rainy season is here. Incidents of havoc caused by floods in different parts of the country have been reported, with key installations like the Kenyatta National Hospital disconnecting power supply to avert cases of electrification after the facility flooded over the weekend.

Here is what to do when driving on a flooded road or when a residential area is affected:

1. For drivers, avoid flooded roads if you can and if impossible check the depth of the water before driving through. You can stop to observe cars driving through the water or check the depth using a stick.

2. Drive slowly and steadily through the water and do not attempt to exit with speed as it can push water to the engine bay. The first gear is often advised while driving on a flooded road and care should be taken to avoid the water from getting to the exhaust pipe.

3. If the car stops, leave the bonnet closed to prevent water from getting in then get out of the vehicle and go to a dry area until floods recede.

4. If a residential area floods, switch off all electric appliances from the main switches.

5. Do not touch any electric appliance or switch with wet hands or while standing in water. Electric current flows in water and can lead to electrocution.

6. Move all essential items to an upper floor and evacuate children and pets to a dry area.

7. Stay away from the affected area till the water level goes down. In case power installations have been brought down by the floods keep away until the power company repairs them.

8. Do not walk through moving water and use a stick to measure the depth of still water and the firmness of the ground before wading through.

9. Do not renter your house immediately after the floods as the area could still be prone to flash floods.

10. Clean and disinfect all appliances, utensils and furniture after the floods as sewages often burst during floods.