How to: Avoid a Watery Grave – Flash Flood

Scenario: It’s just a bit of rain, right? What’s the worst that could happen?

• Realize that six inches of water is enough to carry you away to a watery demise. Two feet of it can do the same to your car, so don’t try motoring your way to safety.
• If you find yourself surrounded by water while on the road, ditch your vehicle and head for safety on foot.
• Safety is high ground, which means heading away from canyons, ravines and ditches, as well as bodies of water.
• The water level can shoot up in a matter of minutes, and it’ll be carrying all sorts of wreckage, trees and (royally pissed off) snakes. Need a better reason to stay out of the water?
• If you do find yourself caught in the torrent, keep your feet pointed downstream to fend off obstacles.
• After the excitement’s over, stay away from the flooded areas until everything’s cleaned up; the water has likely destabilized buildings, left chunks of debris everywhere and spread around all kinds of toxins and diseases.