ClimateHaven.com

Entering flood waters can lead to disease, electrocution, or even drowning.

by SAMANTHA HARRINGTON , Yale Climate Connections

Originally published September 13, 2022

RePublished October 1, 2025

My family doesn’t remember how old I was when I almost drowned in a stormwater retention pond after a flood. My dad guesses I was between the ages of seven and nine.

What I do remember is that after a heavy rainstorm, water pooled in the park, turning a grassy ditch into a small lake. The neighborhood kids splashed in puddles and waded into the temporary pond. A boy from my class at school called to me: “Come stand right here, the water’s warm!” The next thing I remember is a rush of water sucking my leg into the culvert that drained the pond. My classmate held my head above water so I could breathe while someone ran for help. 

My dad pulled me out of the pond, scraped up but otherwise fine. 

I was lucky. 

In the United States, an average of 88 people drown in floods each year, according to the National Weather Service. Drowning isn’t the only risk associated with exposure to flood waters. People also contract diseases, get bitten by snakes and other wild animals, and get electrocuted during and after floods.

As climate change increases the intensity of rain storms and rising sea levels, more people are expected to come into contact with flood waters. One 2022 study found a “locked in” increase of 26.4% in U.S. flood risk by 2050. 

In this case, “locked in” means that the increase in flooding is expected regardless of present or future efforts to slow climate change. 

The study authors also project that increases in flood risk will be felt the hardest in communities on the coast with high numbers of Black residents. People living in Texas and Florida will see about a 50% increase in flood exposure by 2050. Additionally, areas with a high percentage of Black community members will see the greatest risk increase, while census tracts with the lowest proportion of Black residents will see “very little increase” in their flood risk.

If your area floods, do what you can to avoid touching, consuming or driving into the water. In some instances, like emergency evacuations and water rescues, it’s impossible to avoid the flood waters altogether. So in those cases, try to wear protective clothing like boots, gloves, and a life jacket. 

Why you should stay out of flood waters:

• You don’t know how deep the water is, how fast it’s moving, or what kind of debris may be in it.
  
  Many flood-related deaths are preventable and result from driving into or walking in or near flood waters, according to the National Weather Service. It can be difficult to tell how quickly water is moving or how deep it is from afar. Roads underneath flood waters may have collapsed, making the water much deeper than drivers may expect.
  
  The National Weather Service campaign, “Turn Around Don’t Drown,” aims to raise awareness and keep people safe during flooding. It only takes six inches of fast-moving water to knock over an adult, 12 inches to carry away most cars and two feet to carry away SUVs and trucks, according to the campaign.
  
  Fast-moving water also may contain dangerous, submerged debris like tree limbs and glass and metal fragments. Those objects can injure people walking in flood waters or puncture tires on vehicles.