GUIDE: What to do when your house gets flooded

When the water rises

Flooding in Metro Manila is highly dependent on location, which is why University of Santo Tomas engineering professor Harf Jucoy Miranda advised that you should first know if your house is in a flood-prone area.

"If yes, then it is best to tune in to news and weather updates so that you can prepare for the upcoming chances of flooding. Be vigilant once rain starts and check the streets for flood build-up," he said.

"Make sure to keep or elevate light objects in your house or within your compound such as trash bins to avoid it being drifted away," he added.

If you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being stuck in your house due to the rising waters, Socrates Paat Jr., the Weather Services Chief of Northern Luzon-PAGASA, emphasized that the first thing you need to do is "to monitor your surroundings."

"You need to disconnect the electrical supply to the house. Electrocution is sometimes the cause of death during a flood so before the water level reaches the electrical outlets, be sure to have the supply turned off via the main switch," Paat Jr. said.

Anton Lipana, a recently retired project manager at his civil engineering firm, echoed the same thought and added, "You should make sure that all electronic appliance sockets are removed from their switches and placed out of reach of the flood water."

These foremost tips are also urged by Meralco, emphasizing that circuit breakers must be turned off before the water enters your home and that all electrical hazards must be reported to them immediately.

Aside from this, your emergency kit must be ready for use. Some of the items you should have include a flashlight or some candles, matches or lighter, batteries, food, medicine, mobile phones for communication, and more.

"We need to be well-informed hence we need to have our battery-operated radios and cellular- phones at hand. Round-the-clock info abound during these situations and we need to know where and how to get help if the case worsens," Paat Jr. said.

If possible, Lipana said that you should secure all important documents and place them in a safe place or carry them when evacuation procedure takes place.

"See to it that all doors and windows of your house are locked and secured to prevent unnecessary looting. Carry some dry clothes and other necessary belongings when spending time in the evacuation center," he said.

However, when the situation becomes too risky, the golden rule is "save yourself, not your belongings."

"You need to act quickly. You need to move to a safe area before access is cut off by rising water. Before leaving the house, be sure that other supplies like water and gas are shut off, and lock (or tie) the doors and windows before leaving," Paat Jr. said.

When the sky clears

Once the storm has passed, it's not all rainbows and sunshine just yet as you still need to clean up after the mess while still watching out for several hazards that may put you in danger.

Paat Jr. cautioned that you should first ensure that electricity and gas are still cut off before starting to drain the water that entered the house.

"After the water, what is usually next is lots of mud and trash. In dealing with these, beware of 'alive' animals such as snakes, rats, and insects and sharp objects like broken glasses, metals, and wood. If possible, use gloves and rubber boots to protect the hands and feet while working," he underscored.

Miranda added, "Collect all wastes, including debris and household items that are to be disposed of, and dispose of them properly. Check for the structural integrity of some light materials in your house that may have been damaged by prolonged exposure to water, such as plywood or timber."

For Lipana, another thing you should do is to make sure that all furniture and appliances are still working and in good condition and to repair all possible damages to the house as soon as possible.

Can you make your house flood-proof?

While it's hopeless to expect a floodless Philippines during typhoon season, can you make your home flood-proof?

Miranda admitted that "this is a tough question to answer on the engineering side."

"We can only depend on the infrastructure initiatives of the local government to prevent flooding, such as flood control projects and more efficient waterway infrastructures," he said. "This is a more long-term way to minimize the chances of flooding in our homes."

Paat Jr. explained that safeguarding your house in a flood-prone area is "definitely costly because it will involve a wide area that might entail construction of flood-protection structures or facilities."

"These are termed as 'structural measures for flood mitigation,' which are usually done only by the government. Individual families cannot do it obviously due to cost, but also for the impact to others," he said.

Sadly, once a house is flood-prone, there’s no other way but to "live with it," which is why Paat Jr. highlighted the importance of flood forecasting and early warning, information campaign, proper zoning, and more.

Nevertheless, you can still contribute to mitigating floods in your area. PAGASA highlighted that you can help by refraining from throwing garbage in esteros, rivers, and anywhere which may clog or block the drainage system.

You should also give a helping hand in cleaning your neighborhood and support community activities intended to lessen the occurrence of floods.