Take these precautions before re-entering your flood-hit homes

Precautions listed by the State govt. for residents re-entering homes ravaged by the floods

Chennai, 05/12/2015 : Residents of Kotturpuram trying to salvage things from their damaged houses. Photo;G_Sribharath

Precautions listed by the State govt. for residents re-entering homes ravaged by the floods

1. After water is drained, ensure power has been restored before you enter. Use footwear and be careful not to slip or step on glass or sharp objects

2. Check your homes for snakes, scorpions or insects. Do so carefully, by removing large objects or while shifting them

3. Wash the entire home (walls included) with plain water. Then disinfect it with phenyl, Lysol, or Dettol completely

4. Wash vessels or utensils two or three times at least before re-using them

5. Boil water before drinking. Do not draw water from tanks or borewells that are inundated.

6. Wash wet clothes first in plain water, then soak them in scented phenyl or Dettol for an hour and re-wash with plain water, dry, iron and use. Dispose of badly damaged clothes

7. Clean sumps and overhead tanks: Drain out all the water in the sump. Scrub and wash it with bleaching powder. Clean the overhead tank. Fill the sump with clean water. For every 1,000 litres of water, 4 gm of bleaching powder or 20 ml of liquid chlorine should be added. Dissolve it well in a bucket of water, allow it to settle for 15 minutes and then pour it in the sump. Use a funnel for borewells. Wait for an hour and pump up water. Release water in taps for first 10 minutes to wash out impurities.

8. Diarrhoea can be handled with plenty of liquids including rice kanji with salt and tender coconut water and prompt medical help. Call 104 to check with paramedics