Experts remind residents to think about flood safety

[March 27, 2021]    By Zeta Cross

(The Center Square) – Spring rains often mean spring floods. That’s why experts are using the time to promote flood awareness.

Nicole Batzek, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said that even drivers of trucks or SUVs should not underestimate the power of fast or slow-moving water on a roadway.

A man walks on a flooded street Friday, July 14, 2017, in Gurnee, Ill.

G-Jun Yam / AP

“It can look like you can easily get through, but you don’t know what the depth of that water is. Twelve inches of water is all it takes to sweep a vehicle away,” Batzek said.

Most flood-related deaths occur because people try to drive through a road that is covered with water.

“Fast-moving water is extremely dangerous,” she said.

A little bit of water on a roadway can hide a dangerous spot where the road underneath has been washed away, Batzek warned.

The speed and depth of the water on a roadway is not always obvious, she says. Six inches of moving water can cause an adult to lose their balance and fall. Water moving at nine feet per second, a typical speed for a flash flood, can move a 100-pound rock.

A flash flood is a surge of fast-moving water.

After a thunderstorm, it can take several hours for a flash flood to build up momentum, Batzek says. Flash floods often can carry debris that can injure people and damage structures.

The Illinois Emergency Management Agency says spring is a good time to think about how flooding and severe weather events can damage your house. Check the sump pump to make sure that it is working. Make sure to have a battery backup for the sump pump in case of a power failure.

Install a water alarm to track if water is getting in your basement. Consider getting flood insurance in flood prone areas. Everyone should have an emergency plan to get their family and pets to safety in the event of a flood emergency.