Some important things to remember after a flood event:
- Have a battery operated radio and tune into your local radio station and heed warnings and advice;
- If you have evacuated, don’t return home until officially advised it is safe and do not panic;
- Wait until water has fallen below floor level to enter a house;
- Don’t use electric appliances if wet;
- Beware of damaged power lines, bridges and trees;
- Do not enter floodwaters; if it’s flooded forget it;
- Heed all warnings and don’t go sightseeing. Instead, check and offer help to neighbours, friends and family;
- Don’t make unnecessary telephone calls;
- Check whether electricity, gas or water supplies have been affected;
- Wear rubber boots or rubber-soled shoes and rubber or leather gloves;
- Watch for damaged flooring, walls and ceilings as well as unexpected visitors such as snakes;
- Treat all items exposed to floodwater as contaminated;
- Dispose of rubbish, wash mud, dirt and debris as soon as you can and wash hands thoroughly after handling anything that has been in contact with floodwater; and
- Follow any instructions for treating water and discard any food exposed to floodwater unless in airtight containers.
For more information on what to do after a flood event, download the What to do before, during and after a flood booklet prepared by Emergency Management Australia.
For information on rebuilding after a flood, please visit our Rebuilding after a Natural Disaster page.
For information about cleaning up after a flood please visit the Queensland Government website, Recovery after a Disaster, Cleaning Up page.