Emergency Management gearing up as heavy rainfall and high winds are a possibility through early Wednesday morning across the region.
Overton-Pickett County EMA Director Chris Masiongale said the biggest threat involves a lot of rain falling very quickly. Masiongale said water can surround people before they realize the danger, potentially displacing trees, debris and even bridges.
“When we get the vast amounts of rain in a short period of time, you don’t have to live in a flood-prone area to get flooded.” Masiongale said. “You can be on the side of a mountain, you can be anywhere and that water coming down so quickly it can encompass and surround you before you know it.”
Masiongale said residents can check their specific flood risk by entering their address on the FEMA website to see if they are located in a designated flood zone.
Masiongale said the danger is heightened at night because drivers cannot see water running across low-lying areas or identify if a road has been washed out.
“A swift water rescue is very, very dangerous,” Masiongale said. “It’s difficult and it takes time. And so the problem is, is that a lot of times people in vehicles, they may make it out into the middle and realize that the road is gone, but then their car’s going to start moving with that type of swift water.”
Masiongale said the risk of hydroplaning is a real threat on the roadways during these short-duration, high-intensity rain events.
“The best thing is if you don’t have to travel, don’t travel,” Masiongale said. “If water is coming down like they’re saying it’s going to come down and the atmosphere is completely saturated, we’re going to have a lot of water really fast over a short duration.”
Masiongale said these zones change over time, and current weather patterns are creating 500-year flood zones that could see flooding in places where it does not normally occur.
“Anybody that’s in a flood, flood zone or has built a home in a flood zone should be concerned tonight because you’ll see flooding that doesn’t normally occur,” Masiongale said. “Surprisingly, a lot of people don’t realize that they’re in a flood zone, but these zones will change over the years as the weather predicts.”
Masiongale said major flooding often requires the agency to shut down highways at the county line, which forces emergency services and residents to find alternative routes. Masiongale said the agency has inspected all swift water rescue equipment to ensure it is working properly and ready for immediate use if an emergency occurs.
“Just stay alert to what’s going on with the weather,” Masiongale said. “Have your weather alert radio up and going or some way to get weather alerts.”
Masiongale said a flash flood emergency indicates heavy rain that poses a direct threat to human life and could cause catastrophic damage.
