Teach Your Child to Avoid Flash Floods

Flash flooding is the No. 1 cause of deaths associated with thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service. A quick thaw in spring also can cause flooding. Six inches of fast-moving water can knock you off your feet; a depth of two feet will cause most vehicles to float.

Children often are fascinated with floodwater, attempting to play in it or float objects in it. Teach children not to play around riverbeds, storm drains or viaducts. During or after a storm, a trickle of water quickly can turn into a current that can carry a child away.

Many flash flood deaths occur at night and most victims are people who become trapped in automobiles. To avoid getting trapped in a vehicle:

• Get out of areas subject to flooding. These include dips, low spots, canyons and riverbeds.
• Avoid already flooded areas. Do not attempt to cross flowing streams.
• If driving, be aware that the road may not be intact under flood waters. Turn around and go another way. Never drive through flooded roadways.
• If your vehicle stalls, leave it immediately and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the vehicle and its occupants and sweep them away.

Reprinted with the permission of Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin.