The public health system is gearing up to undertake the massive challenge of keeping diseases at bay while helping people move back into their homes once rainwater recedes.
Cleaning and disinfecting the houses into which rainwater had entered was a huge task, and people had to be made aware of its importance, said Health officials. The process will be supervised by Health and the Local Self-Government authorities.
Though there was some respite from the rain during the day time on Tuesday, it took a lot of time for water to recede from many places.
In places where rainwater incursion had resulted in the water levels of septic tanks and wells getting mixed up, people will be left with no clean water for their daily chores. Unless disinfection practices were taken up, with the super-chlorination of all potable water sources and the cleaning of houses with clean water, there was the danger of breakout of water-borne diseases, said Health officials.
Houses into which rainwater had entered, taking along with it the filth from streets and drains, need to be cleaned properly. All parts of the house need to be washed with chlorine water to get rid of disease-causing microbes.
Very few families had gone back home from relief camps to their houses as there were high speed winds on Monday night accompanied with bouts of rain.
Medical officers would inspect people in relief camps and adminster prophylactic measures if required. Health workers are taking awareness classes on hygiene and sanitation at the relief camps.
The District Medical Officer has cautioned all residents to be wary of water-borne diseases, and to consume only boiled water and adopt hygienic practices.
