Moving to higher ground immediately is the single most important thing you can do when flooding threatens your area. Floods kill more people in the United States each year than tornadoes, hurricanes, or lightning, and most of those deaths happen because someone underestimated how fast water rises or how powerful it becomes. Whether you’re preparing ahead of time or reacting to a sudden warning, the steps below cover what to do before, during, and after a flood.
Know the Difference Between a Watch and a Warning
A flood watch means conditions are favorable for flooding, but it may not happen. A flood warning means flooding is imminent or already occurring. A flash flood warning is the most urgent: flash flooding is happening or about to happen, and you need to act immediately. Sign up for alerts through your local government, and make sure your phone’s emergency alerts are turned on. When you hear a warning, don’t wait to see water before you move.
Prepare an Emergency Kit Before Flood Season
Store at least one gallon of water per person per day, with enough for several days. Keep a supply of non-perishable food and a manual can opener. Beyond the basics, your kit should include a battery-powered or hand-crank radio (ideally a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert), a flashlight with extra batteries, a first aid kit, a whistle to signal for help, and a cell phone charger with a backup battery.
Add personal items that are easy to forget in a crisis: prescription medications, eyeglasses, infant supplies if you have a baby, pet food and water, and cash. Store copies of important documents like insurance policies, IDs, and bank records in a waterproof container or save them electronically where you can access them remotely. Keep sturdy shoes and a change of clothes in the kit. If you have children, pack a few small activities to keep them occupied during a shelter stay.
Make a Family Communication Plan
Disasters often separate families, and local phone lines jam quickly. The fix is simple but requires planning ahead. Write down phone numbers and email addresses for every household member on paper, since your phone may die or get lost. Give everyone a copy to carry in a wallet, backpack, or purse, and post one on your refrigerator.
Designate an out-of-town contact who can serve as a central point of communication. It’s often easier to reach someone in another state than to call across town during a disaster. Agree on meeting places: one in your neighborhood, one outside your neighborhood, and one outside your city in case evacuation is required. Know the emergency plans for your children’s school or daycare so you understand where they’ll be taken.
If you need to use your phone during a flood, text instead of calling. Texts use less bandwidth and are more likely to go through on overloaded networks. Keep calls brief, conserve battery by dimming your screen and closing unnecessary apps, and switch to airplane mode when you’re not actively communicating.
What to Do When Floodwater Is Rising
Get to higher ground. That is the priority, and everything else is secondary. Stay away from streams, drainage ditches, culverts, and any low-lying area where water collects. Do not walk into floodwater if you can avoid it. If you absolutely must enter it, wear rubber boots, rubber gloves, and goggles.
Floodwater is not just dirty water. According to the CDC, it routinely contains sewage, household and industrial chemicals, hazardous waste, and physical debris like lumber and downed power lines. It can carry bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella. Rodents and snakes displaced by rising water may also be present. Even shallow floodwater poses a serious infection risk if swallowed or if it contacts an open wound.
Never Drive Through Flooded Roads
This is where most flood deaths happen. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars, and two feet of moving water can sweep away SUVs and trucks. You cannot judge the depth of water on a road by looking at it, and the road surface beneath may be washed out entirely. If your vehicle stalls in floodwater, abandon it immediately and move to higher ground. The car is replaceable. The National Weather Service sums it up in three words: turn around, don’t drown.
Shut Off Utilities Safely
If floodwater is entering your home and you can reach your main electrical panel from a dry location, turn off the power. If you would have to stand in water to reach the panel, do not touch it. Call an electrician instead. Never operate any electrical switch, tool, or appliance while standing in water.
If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open all windows, and leave the house immediately. Don’t flip light switches or do anything that could create a spark. Notify your gas company or the fire department from outside. Before you restore power after a flood, have an electrician inspect the entire system first.
Returning Home After Floodwater Recedes
Don’t assume your home is safe just because the water is gone. Before you go inside, walk around the exterior and look for loose power lines, damaged gas lines, foundation cracks, and missing support beams. If a door is jammed, don’t force it open. It may be providing structural support to the rest of the building.
Once inside, look up and look down. A sagging ceiling means it absorbed water and is now heavy enough to collapse. A sagging floor could give way under your weight. Avoid those areas entirely. Be extremely cautious around car batteries in flooded garages, as they may still hold an electrical charge even after submersion, and damaged batteries can leak acid.
Act Fast to Prevent Mold
Mold colonies can start growing on damp surfaces within 24 to 48 hours of water exposure. That timeline applies whether the source is a major flood, a sewage backup, or a roof leak. Every hour matters once water is in your home.
Remove standing water as quickly as possible. Pull out soaked carpeting, drywall, and insulation that can’t be thoroughly dried. Open windows and use fans to circulate air if the power is safe to use. Hard surfaces can be cleaned and dried, but porous materials that stayed wet for more than a day or two generally need to be replaced. If the flooded area is larger than about 10 square feet, or if the water contained sewage, professional remediation is the safer choice.