17 Tips to Play it Safe in the Monsoon

17 Tips to Play it Safe in the Monsoon

Chennai is seeing many a rainy spell this monsoon season and is likely to see more. And while rains are always welcome, floods are not.

Every summer we look forward to the monsoons. Whatever the Met department has to say, the fact is that there’s no quite predicting when and how the rains will treat Chennai in a given year.
Sadly, when the clouds do unleash their fury, the city is not very-well prepared;storm drains flow over (gosh, what happens to the sewage?), streets get submerged, basements and sometimes, homes get flooded. This means stagnant pools of water, power outages and danger of electrocution, mosquitoes, damp clothes and shoes, scared pets….

So, we thought we’d highlight a few ‘be prepared’ measures that will keep you safe and sound.

Stock up

• Make sure you have enough groceries - especially staples like rice, atta, dals, tea/coffee and milk.
• Check if you have common vegetables like potatoes, tomatoes and onions.
• Keep candles and umbrellas handy
• Be water-safe
• Drink water that is boiled, bottled or out of an RO unit.
• Have a hot shower if you get wet in the rain
• Wash your feet well if you’ve tramped through pools of water
• Make sure your clothes and shoes are not damp when you wear them
• Don’t race your car through pools of water - your engine could get flooded and stall. Stick to a steady speed and the 2nd or 3rd gear
• Say NO to stagnant water around your home and work. It is possible to have such water drained/pumped out or absorbed with sand.

Protect your pets

• Look out for your pets. Animals get just as wet as humans and feel cold too. Many get startled by lightning and thunder.
• Your pooch or kitty has fur that needs to be dried of well.
• Try to keep them indoors and out of the rain.
• Pets tend to lie under your car where it might be dry and warm, so do take a peek to ensure all is clear before you drive off and risk running over one.

Around the house

• Keep windows and doors closed so no water leaks in through gaps.
• Be sure to check that your clothes - especially towels and socks - are not wet or damp.
  (A). They stink more in humid weather (Yeeewww!) and
  (B). Moisture attracts mould, so you can get a fungal infection from using damp clothes.
• Lay damp clothes overnight under a fan. Come morning, they are very likely to be dry.
• Or you could use an electric iron; it comes in very handy to take the moisture out of damp clothes.

Just follow these simple pointers and you could have Monsoon Magic that is clean, safe, warm and cosy too.