Turn Around, Don't Drown

Good morning, Katy here. Did you know that flooding is the number one cause of death when it comes to severe weather? More than tornadoes and lightning. Ironically, national flood safety week happens to be next week, March 14-18th. People don’t take flooding as seriously, and end up getting into trouble by driving over flooded roads. As little as 6 inches of flowing water can pick up your car. At that point, you’re at the mercy of the river. I’m not meaning to scare, but to open everyone’s eyes. Avoiding a flooded road is as easy as finding a new route. In fact, the National Weather Service has a saying for it. “Turn around, don’t drown”. It’s a catchy saying that I often relay to kids when I visit schools around the Tri-State. But, it’s a saying that all of us can remember and learn from. If you come across a road that has water over it, it’s better to turn around and find a new route. You’d be surprised how strong a flowing creek/stream can be. In fact, check out this clip from a couple years ago. It shows a road collapsing under a flooded creek. It’s a great example as to why it’s best to turn around! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrs6AMVGP1Q&feature=related As far as the next few days, backwater flooding will begin to affect much of northern Kentucky, southwest Ohio and southeast Indiana. Mainly, it will be low-lying roads near creeks/streams and the Ohio river. To find out more about flood safety awareness week, click here http://www.floodsafety.noaa.gov/