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Here are some safety reminders from the World Health Organization for those who are cleaning their flooded homes
MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos are no strangers to flooded homes.
The Philippines deals with more storms than any other country, with an average of 20 tropical cyclones crossing the region annually. Around 107,000 Filipinos in Metro Manila alone have been affected by such calamities each year in the past three decades.
Researchers from the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute (UPRI) said in a 2024 study that major metropolitan areas in the Philippines, including the Greater Manila Area, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, Metro Iloilo, and Legazpi City, have become more vulnerable to flooding because of land subsidence, which is primarily caused by the extraction of water, oil, and mineral resources from the ground.
The World Health Organization (WHO) urges residents who are affected by floods not to return to their houses unless directed by local authorities.
Here are some safety reminders from the WHO for those who are cleaning their flooded homes:
- Do not turn on your power or use electrical appliances while standing in water.
- If it is safe to do so, leave your doors and windows open to help dry out your home.
- If available, wear face masks, rubber boots, gloves while cleaning your home.
- Keep away from flood-contaminated and muddy areas until the water has subsided.
- Have gas and electrical appliances at home checked by skilled technicians before using them again.
What else should people do after heavy rain? Let’s talk about it in the Project Agos chat room of the Rappler Communities app. – Rappler.com
