Maine Emergency Management offers the following advice for flood and flash flood safety.
Most cars and small trucks and float in as little as two feet of water. If your vehicle begins to float, you lose control over the vehicle.
If your vehicle stalls in a flooded roadway, abandon it immediately and seek higher ground. According to MEMA, nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are vehicle related.
Here are some flood/flash flood safety tips:
- Never drive a car into a flooded roadway. Nearly half of all flash flood fatalities are vehicle related.
- Keep away from streams during heavy rainfall events. Swiftly moving water is extremely powerful and can easily overpower a person.
- Do not attempt recreational boating in flood water. The power of the water, and the chance of heavy debris being swept along, make this extremely dangerous.
- Keep children and pets inside and away from flooded streets, culverts, and streams.
- Report any flooding to the appropriate authorities.
- Obey all road blocks and barriers, even if the flooding has receded. Flood waters may have undercut the road surface or left dangerous debris in the roadway.
- If you live in a flood prone area, have a plan in case the water starts rising quickly.
- If advised to evacuate, do so immediately.
The above information is courtesy of Maine Emergency Management.