Monsoon season: All you need to know to stay safe

As heavy monsoon rains cause havoc in different parts of India, the authorities are advised people to stay vigilant. Here are a few important things to be noted of and precautionary actions to be taken. 

Probable Impacts due to the Heavy Rainfall

• Visibility may become poor due to intense spell of rainfall leading to traffic congestion. 
• Temporary Disruption of traffic due to water logging in roads/ uprooting of trees/ breaking of tree branches leading to increased travel time.
• Uprooting of trees may cause damages to power sector 
• Possibility of damages to vulnerable structures due to heavy to very heavy rainfall 
• Partial Damages to Kutcha Houses and Huts due to uprooting of trees. 
• Possibilities of Flash floods due to intense spells of rainfall. 
• Water logging / flooding in many parts of low-lying areas. 
• Landslides/mud slides/land slip very likely. 
• Heavy rainfall may damage the standing crops and vegetables in the maturity stage. 
• Lightning may injure people and cattle in open place. 

Actions suggested 

• Follow traffic advisories issued, if any. 
• Avoid staying in vulnerable structures. 
• Avoid going to the areas that face water logging problems/ river fronts. 
• People in the vulnerable area are advised to move to safer places. 
• Propping of the vegetable pandals recommended. 
• Take shelter during thunderstorm/lightning activities.
• Do not stop by small rapids and water channels in hilly areas or beaches for site seeing.
• Do not cross the river
• Avoid Selfis by standing on bridges and along the river banks
• Avoid bathing, swimming, washing and playing in the river. Give special care to children and prevent them from playing in storm water, rivers and sea.
• Prepare an emergency kit with the following items: torch, radio, 500 ml water, one packet of ORS, necessary medicine, antiseptic Ointment, one small bottle detol, savlon etc., 100 grams of Groundnuts, 100 grams of dried grapes or dates, a knife, 10 chlorine tablets for purifying water, one battery bank or necessary batteries to power the torch, fully charged simple feature mobile phone with call balance, necessary money
• Ensure that all certificates and valuable jewellery are packed in plastic containers or bags and stored at a height
• Communicate all information that you receive from official sources to everyone in the house. If you are not in the house, the family should be advised to listen to official directives and move to safe locations without waiting for you.
• If necessary, you may move to the nearest relief camps. Instructions have been issued to Districts for opening relief camps from 5th October onwards.
• In order to avoid electrocution, switch off the electrical main switch if flood waters enter your building
• Keep the mobile numbers of your local panchayath or Local Self Government People’s Representative
• Give special care to the elderly, bedridden, people with illness, people with different abilities and children. If there are those with illness, bedridden or people with different abilities in your house who need special attention to evacuate, please inform the nearest officer of the Social Justice Department.
• Keep all electric and electronic gadgets at a height to avoid inundation
• Animals can swim. So if you cannot secure your animal in times of floods, please let them loose. They will swim to safety.
• Park vehicles in a height such that they are not marooned.
• Those living in flats shall ensure that their cars are not parked in low lying cellars.

(Source: IMD, KSDMA)