Flood Safety in India: What to Do Before, During and After
Every monsoon, floods disrupt lives across India — from sudden waterlogging in cities to river floods in low-lying districts. Most injuries and deaths don't happen because people had no warning at all. They happen in the confused first few minutes: waiting too long to leave, misjudging water that "doesn't look that deep," or going back home too soon. This guide walks through what actually matters — before, during and after a flood — based on public guidance from India's disaster management and health authorities.
Before the Flood: Don't Wait for Water to Be Visible
By the time water is visibly rising on your street, your safest route out may already be blocked. Preparation has to start earlier than that.
Track official warnings
- NDMA's Sachet platform (sachet.ndma.gov.in) — authorised disaster alerts
- IMD's Mausam app (mausam.imd.gov.in) — official weather warnings
- Central Water Commission's Flood Watch (cwc.gov.in) — river and flood forecasts
- Your local district authority — for evacuation routes and shelter locations specific to your area
| IMD Colour | Meaning | What You Do |
|---|---|---|
| Green | No warning | Continue as normal |
| Yellow | Be aware | Check routes and supplies |
| Orange | Prepare to act | Charge phones, move vulnerable people early |
| Red | Take action | Follow local instructions immediately |
Build a family plan
- Two meeting points — one near home, one outside the neighbourhood
- Two evacuation routes — since one may become blocked
- One contact outside the flood area — for everyone to check in with
- A buddy system — someone assigned to every child, elderly or disabled family member
Pack a grab bag
Keep it waterproof and light: identity document copies, medicines with prescriptions, a basic first-aid kit with ORS, a torch, a whistle, a charged power bank, sturdy closed shoes, hygiene supplies, some dry food, and cash in small notes.
- Roughly 3 days of ready-to-eat food per person
- About 5 litres of drinking water per person, per day — adjust for heat or medical needs
- Fully charged phones and a topped-up power bank
- Emergency contacts saved offline — and written on paper too, in case phones die
During the Flood: Getting Out Safely
Evacuate immediately if authorities order it, water is rising fast, your route could get cut off, or ongoing medical care might be interrupted. Don't wait to "see how bad it gets."
If you're evacuating on foot: use the official route, avoid riverbanks, bridges, underpasses and railway tracks, wear sturdy closed shoes, and don't delay to save belongings. If leaving is no longer safe, move to the highest strong floor with water, medicines, a phone and something bright to signal with — and send your exact location to someone outside the area.
If your vehicle gets trapped: call 112 and share your location. If dry higher ground is one step away, move to it immediately. If fast water surrounds the vehicle, stay inside and wait for instructions — but if water starts rising inside, unbuckle everyone, unlock the doors and exit through a window onto the roof rather than staying in the vehicle.
Water, Food and Hygiene
After flooding, assume tap water, tanks, wells and borewells are contaminated until authorities officially clear them.
- Safe water means sealed bottled water, water at a rolling boil for a full minute (three minutes above roughly 2,000m altitude), or officially approved chlorine dosing followed exactly as instructed
- Boiling does not remove fuel, pesticides or heavy metals — if water smells odd or has an oily sheen, use a different source entirely
- Discard any food or containers that touched floodwater, and anything with damaged or swollen packaging
- Wash hands with soap for 20 seconds, especially after floodwater contact — sanitiser is a backup, and works less well on visibly dirty hands
Medical Emergencies
Get help immediately for difficulty breathing, unconsciousness, chest pain, heavy bleeding, electric shock or snakebite.
Electrical hazards
Treat every fallen cable and any flooded electrical appliance as live. Never touch someone who has been electrocuted until the power is confirmed disconnected — call for help instead.
After the Flood: Returning Home Safely
Lower water doesn't mean lower risk. Buildings can be structurally weakened, cables may still be live, and snakes or chemicals may be inside.
- Inspect from outside first — cracks, leaning walls or a sinking foundation mean don't enter
- Wear waterproof boots and gloves; keep children and pets out until the building is checked
- Photograph damage before cleaning, for insurance purposes
- Ventilate and dry the home as soon as possible; discard mattresses and soft furnishings that got soaked — they can't be properly cleaned
- Never mix bleach with ammonia-based cleaners, and never use bleach in a closed room
Save this guide before monsoon season — download the free PDF and share it with family and neighbours.
Download Free PDF GuideThis guide is compiled from public safety guidance issued by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), India Meteorological Department (IMD), Central Water Commission, National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). It is intended as general awareness content and does not replace official instructions from local authorities during an actual emergency.