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Flood Dangers Run Deep

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Although the storm has passed, flood waters are often slow to recede, and they can leave behind a multitude of dangers. 

 

Not only do flood waters easily hide dangerous objects - like broken bottles, razor sharp metal sheeting, live electrical wires, and rusty nails – they can also harbor nasty viruses and bacteria, along with dangerous wildlife. 

 

The CDC’s Webpage on Infectious Disease After a Disaster provides a long list of possible risks (many associated with flood waters) that include:

 

Down here in Florida, and along the Gulf Coast, alligators and poisonous snakes are a genuine threat after a hurricane. Urban legends about crocs inhabiting the sewers of New York City aside, wayward reptiles are probably not going to pose much of a threat to life and limb in the Mid-Atlantic states.

 

But there are probably a fair number of rats that have likely evacuated to higher ground or have been driven out of basements and tunnels due to the flooding.

 

And with rats, you don’t actually have to see or come in direct contact with them, to be endangered.

 

Striped field mouse (Apodemus agrarius)

 

In June of 2010, the New York Times carried a story called Subway Study Finds Rats Remain Wily, that quoted rodentologist Robert M. Corrigan, by saying:

 

while rats were a problem in the subways, the rodents inhabited many other public spaces, particularly parks. “Virtually all of New York,” he said, “is vulnerable to this uncanny mammal.”

 

The good news, at least according to the New York City Bureau of Communicable diseases, is:

 

Could a bubonic plague outbreak occur in New York City?

In New York City and other eastern cities, the rat flea that usually transmits bubonic flea (the oriental rat flea) is rare. Outbreaks of bubonic plague in these areas would be unlikely.

 

But there are other diseases, notably Hantavirus and Leptospirosis, that are rat-borne and potentially hazards in the post-Sandy environment.

 

We’ve covered Hantavirus a number of times in the past (see here, here, & here) but Leptospirosis is less well known in the United States, although it is not exactly unheard of.

 

The CDC’s Leptospirosis Webpage describes the bacteria this way:

 

The bacteria that cause leptospirosis are spread through the urine of infected animals, which can get into water or soil and can survive there for weeks to months. Many different kinds of wild and domestic animals carry the bacterium.

These can include, but are not limited to:

  • Cattle
  • Pigs
  • Horses
  • Dogs
  • Rodents
  • Wild animals

When these animals are infected, they may have no symptoms of the disease.

Infected animals may continue to excrete the bacteria into the environment continuously or every once in a while for a few months up to several years.

Humans can become infected through:

  • contact with urine (or other body fluids, except saliva) from infected animals
  • contact with water, soil, or food contaminated with the urine of infected animals.

The bacteria can enter the body through skin or mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth), especially if the skin is broken from a cut or scratch. Drinking contaminated water can also cause infection. Outbreaks of leptospirosis are usually caused by exposure to contaminated water, such as floodwaters. Person to person transmission is rare.

 

Risk of Exposure

Leptospirosis occurs worldwide, but is most common in temperate or tropical climates. It is an occupational hazard for many people who work outdoors or with animals, such as:

  • farmers
  • mine workers
  • sewer workers
  • slaughterhouse workers
  • veterinarians and animal caretakers
  • fish workers
  • dairy farmers
  • military personnel

 

While most often associated with tropical climes, according to the New York Health Department they see an average of 1 or 2 cases a year in the city.

 

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Again, like hantavirus, not terribly likely . . . but not impossible either.  Illness after exposure to flood waters should not be dismissed as `nothing’, but checked by a doctor.

 

 

In truth, the risks associate with flood waters are more likely to come from raw sewage, chemicals, or hidden sharp objects. But for bacteria and viruses, post-disaster situations are a `target rich environment’.

 

Those dealing with flood waters or disaster cleanup, who have not had a tetanus booster in recent years, may want to consider the wisdom of getting one.

 

The CDC maintains a page on dealing with flood dangers:

 

Flood Waters or Standing Waters

Health Risks

Flood waters and standing waters pose various risks, including infectious diseases, chemical hazards, and injuries.

Infectious Diseases
Diarrheal Diseases

Eating or drinking anything contaminated by flood water can cause diarrheal disease. To protect yourself and your family,

  • Practice good hygiene (handwashing) after contact with flood waters.
  • Do not allow children to play in flood water areas.
  • Wash children's hands frequently (always before meals).
  • Do not allow children to play with toys that have been contaminated by flood water and have not been disinfected.

For information on disinfecting certain nonporous toys, visit CDC Healthy Water's Cleaning and Sanitizing with Bleach section.

Wound Infections

Open wounds and rashes exposed to flood waters can become infected. To protect yourself and your family,

  • Avoid exposure to flood waters if you have an open wound.
  • Cover open wounds with a waterproof bandage.
  • Keep open wounds as clean as possible by washing well with soap and clean water.
  • If a wound develops redness, swelling, or drainage, seek immediate medical attention.

For more information, visit

Chemical Hazards

Be aware of potential chemical hazards during floods. Flood waters may have moved hazardous chemical containers of solvents or other industrial chemicals from their normal storage places.
Injuries
Drowning

Flood water poses drowning risks for everyone, regardless of their ability to swim. Swiftly moving shallow water can be deadly, and even shallow standing water can be dangerous for small children.

Vehicles do not provide adequate protection from flood waters. They can be swept away or may stall in moving water.

Animal and Insect Bites

Flood waters can displace animals, insects, and reptiles. To protect yourself and your family, be alert and avoid contact.

Electrical Hazards
Avoid downed power lines.
Wounds

Flood waters may contain sharp objects, such as glass or metal fragments, that can cause injury and lead to infection.

 

Cleanup of Flood Water

When returning to your home after a flooding emergency, be aware that flood water may contain sewage. For more information on how to protect yourself and your family, visit CDC’s Cleanup of Flood Water.

 

Resources and Guidance

And one last flood-related item to bear in mind, is:

 

Mold After a Disaster

Overview

Educational Materials

Public Service Announcements

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