Are you ready for more rain?
The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) officially declared a La Nina event is underway.
Another wet spring predicted in an already saturated Gippsland has prompted the Victorian State Emergency Service to urge residents to be prepared for flood or storm events.
On September 13, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) officially declared a La Nina event is underway in the Pacific Ocean and communities in Eastern Australia should be prepared for above average rainfall over Spring and early Summer.
This means there is around 80 per cent chance of La Nina forming in the remaining months of 2022.
“Many parts of Gippsland are already very wet after all the recent rain we’ve had,” said Gail Cumming, SES Community Resilience Coordinator for East Region.
‘Small amounts of extra rain can cause some areas to flood quite quickly because the ground just can’t absorb any more water, which is even more reason to be prepared.”
VICSES urges residents to take the opportunity to learn more about local risks and how to prepare before the next storm and flood happens.
Understand the local flood history in your community.
There are a number of Local Flood Guides for at-risk communities on the VICSES website at: www.ses.vic.gov.au/get-ready/your-local-flood-information.
These documents can help you get to know your local risks, potential impact areas and how a flood might behave in your local area.
Take note to never drive on flooded roads.
The number one cause of death during flooding is people attempting to drive through floodwater. It also unnecessarily ties up emergency rescue crews when they could be assisting someone in genuine need. It can take just 15 cm of water to float a small car. That’s the height of an average pen. Stay safe by never entering floodwater.
Stay Informed. Everyone can stay informed by
- monitoring forecasts, river levels and weather warnings at the Bureau of Meteorology website: www.bom.gov.au.
- downloading the Vic Emergency app from the Apple Store or Google Play and set up a watch zone.
- Have a plan for power and internet outages, pick up a battery powered radio.
- Know your neighbours – they can be so important in an emergency.
Take the time to think about if you were impacted by an emergency, where would you go, what would you need to take and how would you get there?
