Living In Areas With Extreme Weather & Being Prepared For Natural Disasters

Living by the ocean or in any area of outstanding beauty is just the best thing for the soul.

I used to live in an area that was perfectly sandwiched between the mountains and the sea and it was beautiful. I mean the summer was glorious, but the winters were truly moody and dramatic and no doubt inspired a thousand poets in centuries gone by.

But it was wet. Very wet.

On more than one occasion my fair dwelling was not up to the power of a rainstorm that was no mere passing squall. I would wake up in the morning with a flooded living room.

But in the grand scheme of things I was lucky.

The amount of flooding was mild and, as I was renting, my landlord had installed flooring that could cope. I just learned to not put anything of value in those areas.

Photo by Library of Congress on Unsplash

But what if you live in an area with real weather? I’m talking about hurricanes or tornadoes and the like.

The damage caused by these meteorological events can be devastating and change lives on a yearly basis.

If you’ve experienced devastation from one of these then you’ll know from experience what to do, but if you’re thinking of moving to one of these areas or haven’t felt the full force of Mother Nature yet, then it’s time to get prepared.

Before disasters

1. Get together an emergency kit filled with supplies like water, shelf-stable food, essential medication, radio for emergency information, flashlights, batteries, and first-aid equipment.

2. Create a plan of what you will do during a disaster and know where all of your evacuation routes are.

3. Make sure documents like birth certificates and passports are locked inside a fire- and water-proof container. It’s a good idea to have digital copies too.

4. Make sure your insurance coverage is up to date and covers things like flooding.

5. Keep your home ready for storm weather by trimming overhanging branches, securing outdoor furniture and toys — and think about investing in shutters.

Photo by Mick Haupt on Unsplash

In the aftermath

1. Don’t return to your home unless told by officials or is safe to do so.

2. Look out for issues such as contaminated water and downed electricity cables.

3. Take photos and videos of absolutely everything for insurance claims.

4. Contact your insurance company and use the services of an insurance adjuster to make the process easier.

5. Once you have the go-ahead, start the clean-up process using qualified contractors to take care of water damage and structural damage.

Photo by NOAA on Unsplash

Be prepared

When it comes to living in areas with extreme weather you can never be too prepared.

By making sure you have everything together you can live your life without too much worry.

Just make sure you and your family know all of the important information before an event happens — not when it happens!