Floods in the Philippines
The Philippines is a tropical country that experiences 20 typhoons on the average per year.
The archipelago only has two seasons: the dry season from December to May; and the rainy season, from June to November.
The rainy season plus the number of typhoons that hit the Philippines every year makes flooding a perennial problem in the country.
In Metro Manila alone, several areas have been identified as flood-prone areas.
These are high-risk areas during the rainy season and for most local government units, preparation for floods has been a strict requirement.
Some cities have set standard flood alert levels to use as a warning system to the residents to identify when evacuation should be carried out to avoid endangering lives.
Floods can cause outages, damage structures like buildings and houses and create landslides.
How to prepare for floods
If your area is under a flood warning, move to a higher ground and seek safe shelter immediately.
Avoid walking, swimming or driving through flood waters.
Fast moving flood water can knock you down or sweep your vehicle away.
Also, stay off bridges over fast-moving water because there is a danger of this flood water overflowing.
If you live in a flood-prone area, it is best that you make a plan for your household so that your family would know what to do, where to go and the things that you need to protect yourselves from flooding.
Find out where your evacuation routes and nearest shelters are and the number to call in case you need to be rescued.
Prepare your supplies, including non-perishable foods, water supply for several days and other necessities in case you need to evacuate.
It is also necessary to keep important documents in a waterproof container and create password-protected digital copies.
Have a power supply source ready if services are cut off in your area.
Make sure to have a mobile device and a powerbank to stay connected.
What are tsunamis?
Aside from being susceptible to typhoons, the Philippines is also a country frequented by earthquakes, thus making it prone to tsunamis.
A tsunami is a series of gigantic ocean waves caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, underwater landslides or even asteroids.
Tsunamis can travel 20-30 miles per hour and can have waves as tall as 10-100 feet high.
Its large waves can cause floods and can destroy buildings and infrastructures and cause injuries and death to people.
How to survive during a tsunami
Tsunami warnings often come after an earthquake to coastal areas.
If you are under a tsunami warning, go to higher grounds as far away as possible from the coast.
Stay alert to signs of tsunamis such as a sudden rise or draining of ocean waters.
Especially after an earthquake, monitor emergency information alerts.
Evacuate immediately as soon as you see any natural signs of tsunami or receive an official tsunami alert.
Similar to other disasters, it would be good to have a family emergency plan for those who live in coastal areas, before a tsunami strikes.
Prepare plans for evacuation, communication and location to meet in case you get separated.
Find out if there’s a community evacuation plan.
Pick shelters that are at least 100 feet above sea level or at least one mile away from the coast.
Make sure everyone in the family knows the numbers to contact in case of emergency, and, if possible, every member of your household should have fully-charged cellphones and powerbanks.
In case you are in the water when a tsunami happens, grab onto something that floats such as a raft, tree trunk or door.
If you happen to be in a boat, face the direction of the waves and head out to see.
If you are in a harbor, you must go inland, as far away from the coast as possible.
Natural disasters usually happen at an unexpected time.
The key to surviving it is knowing the dangers and how to avoid these dangers through planning and preparation.
It is also best to stay connected and have a dependable means of communication when disaster strikes.
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