It’s Flood Awareness Week in Virginia – a time blocked out by Governor Glenn Youngkin and other state officials meant to help people understand the risks associated with flooding.
Flooding is the most common and costliest natural disaster here in the Commonwealth – but it’s something that many people don’t really think about.
“People need to understand that anywhere it can rain, it can flood – and you need to be prepared for it,” says Sidney Huffman, a floodplain program manager for the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation.
Roadways flood very easily during big rain events, and Huffman says attempting to drive across a flooded roadway is the number one cause of death during floods. You’ve probably heard the saying before, but it’s worth repeating: Turn around, don’t drown.
When it comes to your property, Huffman says there are three things to remember...
Keep reading below to find out what those tips are >>>
It's time for severe weather prep, too...
While Virginia is promoting flood awareness this week, it started the month with Severe Weather Preparedness Week – another effort meant to refresh memories and educate Virginians about the seasonal threats from severe weather and how to avoid them.
I asked Phil Hysell with the National Weather Service office in Blacksburg about the impacts from El Nino on the severe weather season here in Virginia. We’re currently experiencing El Nino conditions, which typically spells less frequent tornadoes and other severe weather like hail here in the Commonwealth.
However, Hysell says the Climate Prediction Center currently believes there is a 55% chance that La Nina conditions will return sometime between June and August.
“ENSO [that's the El Nino-Southern Oscillation] has less influence over the weather in the U.S. during the spring and summer compared to winter due to weakening upper-level winds," explains Hysell. "Regardless of whether La Nina or El Nino conditions are present this severe weather season, we know severe weather has occurred during both. That's why it is so important to have a severe weather plan that includes having multiple ways to receive weather warnings (at home, work or outdoor functions), know what the warnings and watches mean, and identify ahead of time where you and your family would shelter when warnings are issued.”
Now for more on flood preparedness...
“The first is to know your risk," she says. "The second is to protect your property and yourself. And the third – you can’t always anticipate every risk, so we encourage people to get flood insurance to cover the risks that you can’t predict or mitigate.”
First things first, Huffman says Virginians need to know their overall risk. You can do that by checking with the Virginia Flood Risk Information System. Your locality will also have a floodplain administrator, who can tell you if your property is in a mapped flood zone.
“If your property is in a mapped flood zone, then there’s about a one in four chance that it will flood over the life of a 30-year mortgage.”
However, flooding also happens outside of those designated zones. In fact, Huffman says a national study recently found that 40% of flood insurance claims come from areas outside of those mapped flood zones.
Second, there are things that you can do to make sure your property is as prepared as possible for flooding. That includes elevating utilities and structures, adding flood vents and working to anchor fuel tanks. She adds that if you live in a manufactured home, it’s important to know that it is properly anchored.
Finally, flood insurance can help you be prepared for things that are beyond the best-laid plans and mitigation efforts. Most Virginians don’t have proper coverage, though – according to Huffman.
“Nine percent of Virginians live in a flood plain, but only three percent of Virginians have flood insurance.”
Huffman says that is worrisome because homeowners insurance often does not include flood damage – with some policies specifically excluding it. There is an awareness problem associated with that, but flood insurance is often pricey. However, Huffman says it’s still important to have it.
“So, it can be an expense," she admits. "But when you look at the expense of a policy versus the damage that a flood could potentially do, often it’s worth it. The statistic that’s often quoted is that one inch of water can cause $25,000 worth of damage to a standard, 2,000 square foot, single family home. So, the damage can be immense from a flood, and it also surprises people sometimes after they’re flooded at how expensive it is to go back in and make a property right again.”
She encourages people to check with the National Flood Insurance Program to see about getting coverage. And now is the time to do that – before any rain starts to fall. That’s because there is a 30-day waiting period between a flood policy being issued and when it takes effect.
Huffman says you can find more information about flood insurance here, but your homeowners agent can most likely give you a good referral, even though most homeowners policies don’t specifically cover floods.
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