Eastern Corridor Under Water

American Red Cross urges flood safety while providing food and shelter to evacuees

WASHINGTON, Wednesday, June 28, 2006 — Almost one month into this year’s hurricane season intense rain has soaked much of the east coast, with the possibility of more rain expected in the next twenty-four hours. Throughout the past week, heavy rain and rising waters have produced flooding from Virginia to New England. Mandatory evacuations have been issued in some areas, while some residents are voluntarily seeking dry ground.

More than 40 American Red Cross shelters are open to provide food and accommodations to nearly 1500 people throughout the affected areas. Since flash floods are a potential threat that may cause more residents to leave their homes, additional Red Cross shelters are opening hourly and others are on standby to provide a safe dry haven to those in need. As thousands more evacuate their homes, the Red Cross will work with local chapters and community partners across the Mid Atlantic and New England to open as many shelters as necessary over the next several hours.

Red Cross preparedness experts urge residents to never underestimate the power of water and heed evacuation orders when issued. Flash floods can develop very quickly and the rapid accumulation can be extremely dangerous. Practicing good flood safety can help save lives.

• Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way.
• Never attempt to drive through water. Water can be deeper than it appears, and water levels can rise very quickly.
• Floodwaters can erode roadways, and a missing section of road – even a missing bridge – will not be visible with water running over the area.
• Most cars can be swept away by less than two feet of moving water. Many flood–related deaths are caused by people attempting to drive through floodwaters.
• Avoid walking through floodwaters; six inches of moving water can sweep most people off their feet.

For more tips on flood safety, please visit www.redcross.org.

The American Red Cross helps people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. Last year, almost a million volunteers and 35,000 employees helped victims of almost 75,000 disasters; taught lifesaving skills to millions; and helped U.S. service members separated from their families stay connected. Almost 4 million people gave blood through the Red Cross, the largest supplier of blood and blood products in the United States. The American Red Cross is part of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. An average of 91 cents of every dollar the Red Cross spends is invested in humanitarian services and programs. The Red Cross is not a government agency; it relies on donations of time, money, and blood to do its work.