What to do in a flood or flash flood
Get to high ground now, and never walk, swim or drive into floodwater. Six inches of moving water can knock you down, and 12 inches can carry away most cars. If your car stalls in rising water, get out to higher ground if you safely can. Turn around, don’t drown.
What to do right now
- Get to high ground now.
- Never walk, swim or drive into floodwater. 6 inches of moving water can knock you down; 12 inches carries away most cars.
- Car stalls in rising water: get out to higher ground if you safely can. Trapped in fast water: stay inside; if water rises inside, get on the roof.
- Don't climb into a closed attic. Go to the roof if you must.
- After: stay out of floodwater. It may carry electricity.
Remember: Turn around, don't drown.
Warning signs
Heavy rain upstream, rising creeks, a flood watch or warning. Flash floods can arrive in minutes, even where it isn't raining.
What happened: Johnstown, Pennsylvania, 1889
On 31 May 1889 the South Fork Dam failed above Johnstown. At least three warnings went out by telegraph that day. The flood struck the town less than an hour after the dam broke. At least 2,209 people died.
The lesson: When a flood warning comes, get to high ground now. Turn around, don't drown.
Know the numbers
- 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult over.
- 12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars. 2 feet can carry away SUVs and trucks.
- Never walk or drive into floodwater. You can't see how deep it is or whether the road is gone.
Questions people ask
How much water does it take to sweep a car away?
12 inches of rushing water can carry away most cars, and 2 feet can carry away SUVs and trucks, according to the National Weather Service.
Is it safe to walk through floodwater?
No. 6 inches of fast-moving water can knock an adult over, you can’t see how deep it is or whether the road is gone, and floodwater may carry electricity.
What should you do if your car stalls in floodwater?
Car stalls in rising water: get out to higher ground if you safely can. Trapped in fast water: stay inside; if water rises inside, get on the roof.
Should you go up into the attic in a flood?
Don’t climb into a closed attic. Go to the roof if you must.
Sources
Every step on this page comes from these sources. We check them when we review the page.
- National Weather Service: Turn Around Don’t Drown
- Ready.gov: Floods
- National Park Service: Johnstown Flood FAQ
General safety information, not medical advice. Always follow instructions from local officials and 911 dispatchers.