How to survive a flash flood — like the one that devastated Texas
Heed warnings to avoid flash floods like the one in Texas. If you get swept away, follow these tips to maximize your chance to survive.
The best way to survive a flash flood like the one that claimed at least 90 lives in Texas over the holiday weekend is to heed warnings and avoid high water, Northeastern University experts in disaster and survival medicine say.
But if you get swept downstream, “there is hope,” says Stephen P. Wood, program director for Northeastern’s adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner program.
“There are a few things you can do to help survive a flash flood,” he says.
Float on your back, like a starfish
“If you fall into fast-moving water, the first thing is to get on your back and keep your feet pointed downstream. That way, your feet absorb impact, not your head,” says Wood, who has worked in the fields of emergency and extreme medicine.
Think of it as floating in a “starfish pattern” on your back, head tilted back, arms out, says Joshua Merson, program director of extreme medicine medical sciences at Northeastern.
In fast-moving water it might also be helpful “to use your arms in a backstroke movement to slow down while looking for safe locations to exit,” Merson says. “At that point, swim as aggressively and as fast as possible to try to exit.”
Watch out for debris
Raging flash floods are full of dangerous debris.
Devyn Smith, a 23-year-old woman who survived the Texas flash flood by clinging to a tree after being swept 15 to 20 miles down the Guadalupe River, described being pulled under by a refrigerator and other flotsam multiple times.
While drowning is the number one cause of death in a flash flood, “the second big risk is blunt trauma, being hit or pinned by debris like tree limbs, cars or parts of buildings,” Wood says.
“If you get caught under debris or a vehicle, protect your head and try to ride the current until you’re clear,” he says.
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Turn around, don’t drown
“What if I’m in my car and the road looks passable in floodwaters?” Merson says.
Don’t try, he warns. “Never try to cross floodwater,” he says, “even if the road seems passable, as you may be unaware of what’s happening beneath the surface. The general saying is to ‘turn around, don’t drown.’”
A time-lapse video shows how quickly floodwaters filled a roadway 95 miles away from Camp Mystic, an all-girls camp that lost more than two dozen campers and counselors to the flash flood, with some still missing.
“Cars can float in as little as 12 inches of water and can be swept away in 18 to 24 inches,” Wood says. He says many of the drownings associated with flash floods occur when vehicles are swamped.
If you get caught in floodwaters in your car, “you need to get out of that car as quickly as possible,” Merson says. “Get your seatbelt off, open the window or break it and get to the top of that roof.”
“Have a device in your car that enables you to cut your seatbelt and punch out a window,” Wood says. “These can be lifesaving in certain circumstances.”
If you don’t have a window breaker, remove your vehicle’s headrest and hit against the window as hard as possible with one of the prongs, Merson says.
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“Another blunt object, such as a rock, could work. But don’t underestimate how difficult it may be to break a car window made of tempered glass.”
If water is rapidly filling the vehicle, wait to call 911 until you are on the roof, Merson says. “Seconds could mean the difference between getting out of the car or getting stuck inside, putting you at risk of drowning.”
“If you are stuck inside, call 911 and try to alert others in a safe area,” he says.
Heed warnings … and plan ahead
“One of the most important things you can do is to stay informed,” Wood says. “Pay attention to the news and to local weather warnings. If they are telling you to evacuate, do it.”
“As soon as a flash flood warning is issued, you should move immediately to higher ground,” Merson says.
Higher ground refers to areas with higher elevations, “typically away from rivers, streams or the immediate shore,” he says. “Avoid areas prone to flooding, such as canyons, basements, ditches or the water’s edge.”
“If you’re in a city, that might mean getting to the upper floors of a sturdy building. In rural or suburban areas, hills or elevated roads work,” Wood says.
“My advice, as with any potential or actual disaster, is to plan ahead,” he says. “Know your surroundings. If you’re in a flood-prone area, scout out two to three escape routes to high ground before you ever need them.
“Finding the high terrain on a map can be an essential skill,” says Wood, whose own interest in disaster survival was inspired by escaping a flash flood in the mountains of New Hampshire.
Three people who tried to cross the raging river were swept away, however. All survived but two became severely hypothermic — another flash flooding risk — Wood says.
“Water is powerful and unforgiving,” he says. “If you’re ever unsure, don’t risk it.”
