Texas Tragedies: How to Survive a Flood

Flooding in Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico hit residents and vacationers alike over the Memorial Day weekend. (Photo: AP)

Americans watched in horror as the Memorial Day weekend floods in Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico unfolded. And now that the waters are receding, people are marveling at the scope of the devastation and tragedy.

At last count, at least 31 people were confirmed dead from the storm: 18 in Texas and Oklahoma and 13 in northern Mexico. Several more remain missing.

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That toll involves some wrenching tales. A teenage girl from Devine, Texas, died when her car was swept away by floodwaters as she was driving home after her prom. Two people died in Oklahoma after a car hydroplaned on the wet roads. Another Oklahoma woman died when a tornado ripped apart her mobile home.

And perhaps the most heart-wrenching story: Eight people from two families spending the holiday weekend together in a vacation cabin remain missing after flooding from the Blanco River, which reportedly rose 28 feet in an hour and a half, ripped the house off its stilts and swept it away. Jonathan McComb, one of the vacationers visiting the cabin, was found alive. His wife, Laura, and their two children — 6-year-old Andrew and 4-year-old Leighton — are among the missing.

Stilts are all that remain of the home the McComb family was staying in with the Carey family when the storm hit. Eight people from the two families remain missing. (Photo: AP)

Many of the storm’s victims were, like the McCombs, either vacationing or traveling when the storm hit. Various vacation homes, resort cabins, and RV parks were destroyed in the storm. As we saw this weekend, severe whether can catch people tragically off guard when they’re traveling.

“When you’re on vacation, the last thing on your mind probably is the weather or a natural disaster occurring,” says Bill Riley, a former public affairs officer for FEMA and vice president of disaster recovery services for Witt O’Brien’s, a risk management firm specializing in disasters. “I think when an event like this happens it really emphasizes the need to stay aware of your surroundings and stay aware of what the weather might bring.”

Here’s some advice on preventing disaster if flooding like the kind we saw this past weekend strikes while you’re on vacation, and what to do if you get in a dangerous situation.

TIPS TO STAY SAFE

Know your surroundings

Much of the flooding in Texas struck with little or no warning, giving people little time to react. (Photo: AP)

“The first thing someone on vacation, or someone traveling, needs to do is familiarize yourself with the locale,” says Riley. “People should be prepared, have an escape route.” That means knowing the local roads and knowing your way in and out of your location in case you need to evacuate. That also means knowing what kinds of severe weather your vacation spot is susceptible to. “If you’re visiting an area that is subject to this kind of flooding or tornadoes, you need to take that into account in your daily activities,” says Riley.

Bring a weather radio

Make a weather radio a standard part of your vacation gear. (Photo: iStock)

“I think that would be my number one bit of advice for those who are on vacation,” Riley says. That’s especially true if you tend to cut yourself off from TV, the radio, or the Internet when you’re in vacation mode. “The weather radio will sound an alert when there’s a severe weather broadcast,” Riley says. That could give you the critical moments you need to deal with a potential natural disaster.

Understand the meaning of National Weather Service flood alerts

Use your weather radio to listen out for flood alerts. (Photo: AP)

The National Weather Service has several flood alert categories, and each calls for a different response. A Flood Advisory is the lowest level alert; it means to be aware of specific weather that may become a nuisance.

A Flood Watch is next on the scale. “That means there’s the potential for flooding,” says Riley. “That’s a time when you should prepare because there may be a flood.”

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Riley says a Flood Warning “means that flooding is occurring or is imminent. That’s the time for action and people should be prepared, especially in unfamiliar territory.“

You should take immediate action in a Flash Flood Warning, which means a flash flood is imminent or occurring. "It can happen very quickly, very rapidly,” Riley says of flash floods. “You need to get out of that area and seek higher ground immediately.”

Evacuate your home when ordered

Listen for evacuation orders and take them seriously. (Photo: iStock)

“Local emergency management officials and public safety officials are your best source for information because they know the area.” Riley says. “They may issue evacuation orders, they may tell you when you need to leave or if it’s safe to stay.”

And if officials tell you to leave, you should do so immediately. People in floods sometimes hunker down in their homes — a dangerous move because all homes, be they traditional homes or vacation homes on stilts (like the one the McCombs were staying in) can be swept away in a flood. “Even if [homes] are not swept away, they can still be subject to rapidly rising waters that might force you to upper floors or out onto a roof,” says Riley. “You don’t want to put yourself in that kind of peril.”

Be extremely careful when driving

In a flash flood, your car can become a deathtrap. (Photo: AP)

“People die in their vehicles in floods all too often,” says Riley. That’s why he says you should never cross a road covered in water.

“It takes very little water to lift a car and move it,” Riley warns. “And you can’t tell how deep it is by looking at it. You don’t know how fast that current is moving. It’s easy when there are floodwaters around to become disoriented, especially if you’re vacationing in the area where you don’t know the lay of the land.”

Riley’s advice in these cases: “Stay on the pavement. Never cross a road or enter a portion of a road that is covered with water. Stop the car, turn around and try to find another way.”

TIPS IF YOU’RE CAUGHT IN A FLOOD

If a flood strikes the home

If a flood strikes while you’re at home, FEMA suggests you go to the top floor, attic, or roof (be sure to bring your weather radio). Turn off all utilities at the main power switch and close the main gas valve if you’re advised to do so and if you’re able. But the National Weather Service says not to go into a basement, or any room, if water covers the electrical outlets or if cords are submerged. If you see sparks or hear buzzing, crackling, snapping or popping noises — get out; the water may have electricity in it.

If your car is caught in flooding

According to FEMA: “If floodwaters rise around your car, abandon the car and move to higher ground, where water is not moving or not more than a few inches deep. You and the vehicle can be swept away quickly. If your vehicle is trapped in rapidly moving water, stay in the vehicle. If the water is rising inside the vehicle, seek refuge on the roof.”

If you get swept away by floodwaters

If you get swept away by floodwaters, experts recommend trying to float on your back with your legs straight. Point your feet downstream. Obstacles and debris are your big dangers, so use your legs to propel you away from them. If an obstacle is unavoidable, don’t go under it. Instead, try to direct yourself over it.

The weekend storms shattered this cabin at a resort along the Blanco River in Wimberley, Texas. (Photo: AP)

As we saw this past weekend, disasters can strike anytime — even during relaxing holiday weekends. “When you are on vacation and trying to relax and get away from the stress of your job, and your home, and everything else that goes on in your life, you have a tendency not to think about those kind of things,” Riley says. Still, he says that’s no reason to be unprepared. “It’s very easy to carry a weather radio with you; a couple of simple steps like that may save your life,” he says.

In short, you should prepare just as carefully for emergencies on the road as you would at home. “When you’re home, you know your surroundings, you know what the weather can bring, so you’re probably much more aware and much more prepared,” says Riley. “You just need to carry some of that common sense forward when you’re traveling.”

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