When we knew there was a storm descending on Valencia, in Spain, my wife and I decided to head there as quickly as possible.
We didn’t want my elderly mother-in-law to be alone in case the worst happened.
Throughout the day and night of Tuesday, October 29, a vicious wind howled through the streets as we waited for the announced downpour.
The next morning, we knew we had been lucky.
During the hours of darkness, a year’s worth of rain had fallen on towns less than 10 km away, where members of our family lived, but it spared us.
Images of the destruction caused by flash floods went around the world.
According to climate-watchers, it was just bad luck that one place got it bad. They say it is going to happen again.
If we are wise we will take the “DANA” (which stands for “Isolated High-level Depression” in Spanish) of Valencia as a cautionary tale.
Who knows, it could be France next. Here are eight lessons to take to heart before they are needed.
Listen to official warnings, but use common sense
It is difficult for the authorities to decide when to declare a red alert.
Shut down the local economy for what turns out to be a false alarm and they will be criticised for crying wolf.
In Valencia, many people believe the government delayed too long, resulting in the unnecessary deaths of people travelling by car, as if it was just another night of heavy rain.
If the weather is likely to turn ugly, err on the side of caution. Cancel your appointments. Sign off from work. Stay at home if at all possible.
Read more: Will the severe storms and rain in Spain also reach France?
Be aware of your surroundings – not just your locality
“It wasn’t raining here when the floods hit,” said one resident in Valencia.
Drainage systems are connected and that danger can come from up-river rather than directly from the sky.
Make a plan now – not at the last minute
Floodwater moves faster than most people expect.
A situation can deteriorate rapidly, leaving no time for decision making.
Consider right now “what would I do if…?”
Do you have the essential survival items to hand? Which route are you going to take to safety? Do you know anyone with reduced mobility who will need helping?
My sister-in-law’s father, bedridden in his ground floor flat, only survived because caring neighbours floated his mattress to safety at the last minute.
It is impossible to imagine all contingencies.
In Valencia, for instance, people learned to their cost that they were living with a hazard in plain sight that no one had thought about: an urban concentration of cars that would turn into lethal weapons and become serious obstacles in the scramble to safety.
Prepare for loss of electricity
Blackouts are usually temporary and inconvenient rather than dangerous but it is worth taking a moment to imagine how much we depend on electricity.
You may be left groping in the dark while also wading through water.
Have one or two rechargeable torches handy so that you can save your mobile phone to keep in touch with friends, family and the outside world.
Also, keep a little cash to hand because in a power cut, your bankcard will be useless.
Read more: Floods in the south-east of France: One department remains on high alert
Stock up on some provisions
Sensible semi-self-sufficiency is always a good policy.
It is worth preparing for even a minor emergency by keeping a stock of drinking water and non-perishable food somewhere above
ground level. If the electricity goes, you will quickly lose the contents of a freezer.
Do not take risks to save material things
If the water does rise, do not take risks to save material goods.
Too many people in Valencia died trying to move their cars from subterranean garages to higher ground.
If it is a choice between saving your property or saving your life, do not hesitate.
Obey instructions
The emergency and security services are trained to lead in a crisis.
My nephew was ordered by police to abandon his car on the motorway and link hands with other stranded drivers, so that they could walk to safety as a human chain on the edge of the rushing water.
Because he did what he was told, he is still with us.
Distinguish information from rumour
Gossip thrives in chaos and can lead to panic.
Do not pass on information you do not know to be true and do not believe everything you are told.
Seek out official sources of information and pay attention only to reputable media organisations.
Reliable websites give precise facts and are regularly updated. If you are not sure it is safe to travel again, do not budge.
People who live on fault lines have got used to planning for earthquakes. All of us should take sensible steps to anticipate floods and make sure their adverse effects are kept to a minimum.
