What to do - Flood

With simple actions, you can help reduce the risk of flooding.  

• Respect the environment, and if you see bulky waste abandoned, clogged drains, water courses, etc., partially obstructed, report it to the municipality.  
• Find out about your municipality's Civil Protection Plan to learn about flood-prone areas, escape routes, and safe areas in your city.
• If you or a family member needs special assistance (people with disabilities, older people), report it to the municipality.  
• Stay informed about alerts issued by the Region or Autonomous Province and actions taken by the municipality.  
• Prepare an emergency kit containing, for example, a copy of documents, a first aid kit, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, etc.  
• Avoid storing valuables in the basement or cellar. 

You can take preventive actions to reduce the risk when an alert is issued.

• Keep yourself informed about the expected dangerous situations in the area and the measures adopted by your municipality. 
• Do not sleep in basements and avoid staying there. 
• Protect rooms at street level and close cellar, basement, or garage doors only if you are not exposing yourself to danger. 
• If you need to move, assess the route first and avoid flood-prone areas. 
• Carefully evaluate whether to secure your car or other possessions; it can be dangerous. 
• Share what you know about alertness and proper behavior. 
• Check that your child's school is informed of the ongoing alert and is ready to activate its emergency plan.

Indoor 

•  Do not enter cellars, basements, or garages to secure possessions; you will risk your life. 
•  Do not go outside to secure the car. 
•  If you are in a basement or ground floor, go up to the upper floors. Avoid the elevator: it may get stuck. 
•  Help older people and people with disabilities who are in the building. 
•  Limit mobile phone use: keeping the lines clear makes rescuing easier. 
•  Stay informed on how the situation develops and follow directions provided by authorities. 
•  Turn off the gas and the electrical system. Do not touch any electrical fixtures and appliances with wet hands or feet. 
•  Do not drink water from the tap; it may be contaminated. 

Outdoor 

•  Move away from the flooded area: due to the speed at which water flows, even a few inches could make you fall. 
•  Reach the nearest high area quickly, avoiding heading to slopes or artificial embankments that could collapse. 
•  Find shelter on the upper floors of a building. 
•  Avoid using a car. Even a few inches of water could cause you to lose control of the vehicle or cause it to shut down; you might be trapped. 
•  Avoid underpasses, embankments, and bridges: stopping or transiting in these places can be very dangerous. 
•  Be careful where you walk: there may be sinkholes, potholes, open manholes, etc.

• Follow the directions of the authorities before taking any action, such as re-entering the house, shoveling mud, emptying water from basements, etc. 
• Check to see if you can reactivate the gas and the electrical system. If necessary, ask for a technician's advice. 
• Before using sewage systems, find out whether sewer systems, septic tanks, and wells are not damaged. 
• Do not pass along flooded roads: there may be sinkholes, potholes, open manholes, or sheared electrical wires. Also, the water could be polluted by fuels or other substances. 
• Pay attention to areas where the water has receded: the roadbed may weaken and fail. 
• Before drinking water from the tap, make sure municipal ordinances or notices do not prohibit it; do not eat food that has come in contact with flood water; it could be contaminated.