The rainy season has officially begun, and that means rainy days and turbulent storms are up ahead. The Philippines, lying astride the typhoon belt, is considered the world’s most disaster-prone country. This is according to Germanwatch, an organization focused on political and economic frameworks related to development and the environment. Just in a span of five years, the country experienced 3 of the worst typhoons ever, and it is estimated that an average of 20 typhoons cause a path of destruction in the Philippines every year. In a country susceptible to extreme weather conditions, it’s important for its people to take precautions.
For this article, MoneyMax.ph, a comparison website for personal finance products, lists 6 ways you can prepare for a deadly typhoon.
De-clog drainage ways
It’s important to have clog-free gutters and downspouts for proper drainage. This avoids rainwater collecting and rising to alarming levels which prevents flooding. In addition, it’s important for your waterways to be free from mud, debris, and other particles to avoid water-related diseases. When floodwaters are contaminated, they present risks for infection and provide breeding sites for mosquitoes. De-clogging your waterways not only provides proper drainage but decreases your risk to diseases as well.
Know the emergency numbers
During torrential storms, it’s important to contact the necessary authorities to receive assistance in the soonest time possible and also spread news of safety warnings to neighboring places. Contacting authorities provide for faster dispatch especially since electric lines may be affected by typhoons. Below are the necessary numbers you should familiarize yourself with to prepare for a deadly typhoon:
- Red Cross – 790-2300; 527-0000
- Philippine National Police (PNP) – 117 or send TXT PNP to 2920
- National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Council – 911-1406; 911-1873; 912-2665; 912-5668
Know your surroundings
To prepare for a storm, it’s important to know your surroundings. Look for emergency exits and elevated areas. Familiarize yourself with evacuation routes. Higher grounds make you less susceptible to floods, and memorizing evacuation routes will lessen your panic and paranoia when disaster hits. During turbulent times such as typhoons, it’s important to think on your feet, so memorizing elevated areas and evacuation routes will help you respond to emergencies faster.
Protect yourself
Protect yourself through insurance. In the case of natural disasters, do so through non-life insurance policies. Many people decided to forego insurance because of the annual premiums; however, in the event of a natural disaster, such as submerged vehicles and homes, you’re bound to spend more repairing or replacing your vehicles and renovating your home than paying your annual insurance premiums. You may think that you wouldn’t need a car or home insurance; that is until disaster strikes and it’s too late. To ease your financial burden, MoneyMax.ph has a comparison platform that lets you compare car insurance policies from different providers, so you have the option to pick the most affordable policy. When applying for car or home insurance, it’s important to read the fine print of your policy to ensure that your coverage includes a payout for incidents caused by natural disasters or ‘acts of nature’.
Repair
Loose objects are hazardous, more especially during floods. It’s better to be preventive rather than corrective, so don’t wait for a typhoon to happen to realize that you should have done x number of things to your house. This is where repairs come in; it’s important to regularly maintain your house. This includes reinforcing and repairing roof tiles, garage doors, windows, and the like. You don’t want leaks pouring through your walls and flooring. Even more so, it’s going to be more expensive to repair items after a flood. With this in mind, reinforce and repair parts of your home to protect from flooding and heavy storms.
Trim planting
It’s important to trim your trees and shrubs. Not only will they become wind-resistant but they act as a buffer as well. Trees and shrubs slow down wind velocity and reduce damages caused by heavy winds, such as falling electrical posts and billboards. However, don’t cut your plants and trees too short or bare since they also help prevent flooding and soil erosion.
In the Philippines, typhoons are a matter of ‘if’ not ‘when’, so it’s important to be preventive rather than corrective. Surely, the 6 tips above will help your prepare for a deadly typhoon.
Author Bio: Kyle Kam is a Digital Marketing Specialist of MoneyMax.ph, a financial comparison website aiming to help Filipinos save money through diligent comparisons of financial products.