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13 Important do’s and don’ts to avoid health hazards caused by floods

The Chennai floods this season have broken all records. The city has not been hit with a rainstorm of this degree in about 100 years. The entire city is reeling under the effects of this flood, with many becoming victims of diseases and injuries as a result.

Floods in your city can increase the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera, typhoid, Hepatitis A etc. Not only that, the transmission of vector borne diseases such as dengue, malaria and chikungunya increases as well. Severe flooding can even lead to accidents such as electric shocks. However, there are certain precautions you can take to avoid these potential health hazards.

1. Avoid flood waters as these may have been contaminated with sewage and remains of animals
2. Boil water before consuming it or using it to cook food
3. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly before eating, and drinking and always use a disinfecting soap
4. Avoid water coming from wells until it has been treated
5. Throw away food that has come in contact with flood water, whether it was refrigerated or not
6. Throw away food that has been standing at room temperature for more than two hours or smells foul or has changed colour and texture
7. Make sure you cover and treat any open cuts or wounds
8. Bathe regularly
9. Make sure you use mosquito repellents at home and on your clothing and skin
10. Don’t touch open wire or sockets or let them come in contact with water as it can cause shocks
11. Don’t allow your pets to go outside as they can become hosts of vector borne diseases
12. Throw away accumulated garbage and debris as they can turn into a breeding ground for rats and mosquitoes
13. Make full use of vaccination facilities

By adopting these simple measures, you can safely avoid the most common types of health hazards prevalent during floods.