Staying safe during cyclone season: Tips for protecting your property and your family 19^th April 2019

A cyclone is a storm that rotates viciously around a centre of low atmospheric pressure. It advances at high speeds and causes heavy torrential rains, forcing havoc and a lot of destruction. The peak season of cyclone formation in India ranges from May to November and primarily affects the coastal states.

Cyclones are known to cause heavy damage to property and lives. They can destroy houses and buildings, wash away entire villages and towns, damage agricultural cultivation, and cause loss of lives.

Here are some useful tips for protecting your property and family during the cyclone season.

1. Secure your house
Make your house safe and sound before the arrival of the cyclone season. Doors and windows with broken hinges and latches can fall off during cyclonic weather and hurt you and your family. Fix them, and secure loose tiles in your house to make them safe and sturdy. Arrange for a few wooden boards that can be used to secure your windows and prevent them from breaking during torrential winds. Do not leave loose bricks, garbage cans, signboards, broken furniture, etc., outside your house, as they can be swept off in the storm and cause damage during a cyclone.

2. Vacate your house
If you feel your house or building has become too old and dilapidated, do not stay in it during the cyclone season. A cyclone has the power to bring your old building down. Apart from causing you a lot of financial loss, it can cost your lives too in such a case.

Also, if your house is near a beach and can be swept away by a high tide or stormy waves, vacate it if you hear a cyclone warning from a credible source. Do not rely upon social media forwards in such a situation. Look out for cyclone warnings in local newspapers, on the television, or confirm with the local administration. Low-lying areas get flooded in no time in such storms. Leave early to high-lying areas, or you might get stuck in a flooded region.

3. Stock up
A cyclone often brings an extended power blackout and floods, and you might get stuck in your house for an unexpectedly long time. Hence, stock up on essential food and grocery items used in emergencies. You can store packaged and canned food at your home. Stock up on snacks that need no or little preparation for consumption and have a shelf life of several months.
Along with food, stock up on essential medicines you regularly take or may need in emergencies. Try to keep a spare filled gas cylinder at home as the supply of your piped natural gas line will be shut down for a long time. Also, keep spare batteries and power banks at home, as they may be handy in long power blackouts.

4. Electrical wiring
Make sure your house wiring is up-to-date and covered, especially on the outside. Loose wires hanging outside your house can cause a serious electric shock hazard in times of cyclonic weather. If you see broken wires hanging outside your house, such as from a lamp post, do not touch them or step in flooded water. It may have a running current and cause shock and or threat to life.

5. Car and bike safety
If you hear a credible warning about an upcoming cyclone, rush to park your car or bike on some high ground. A strong flood can destroy your car or two-wheeler by damaging its engine or even sweeping it away.

Being cautious and alert beforehand is always better than facing a natural disaster without any preparation. The above tips can help you minimise damage to your life and property in case of a cyclone and help you deal with it bravely. Along with the other preparations, you should buy insurance from the best general insurance companies in India to secure you financially in such disasters. Opt for good health insurance, house and property, auto, and asset insurance policies, and stay safe and secure.

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Disclaimer: The information provided above is for illustrative purposes only. To get more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before purchasing a policy.