DCR urges flood awareness, preparation

With spring rains and hurricane season coming, state officials are urging Virginia to protect their property from flooding. Flooding is the most common and costly natural disaster in the nation, according to state officials, and with spring rains followed by hurricane season, flood preparation is important for Virginia's homeowners, renters, and business owners.

The DCR coordinates the state's flood-protection activities and helps communities benefit from the National Flood Insurance Program, which allows residents of nearly 90% of Virginia's communities to purchase federally backed flood insurance.

DCR’s Flood Awareness website offers tools and information including fact sheets, a cost calculator, and a risk-assessment tool. Officials touted Flood Awareness Week, which runs March 12-18, asan excellent time to use the resources and prioritize flood readiness. Virginians can learn about their property's flood risk by keying their address into the Virginia Flood Risk Information System.

The National Flood Insurance Program estimates that just 1 inch of water in a home can cause more than $25,000 in damages. Flood insurance is, by far, the most effective way to protect homes and property, but only 3% of Virginians have flood insurance, according to the National Flood Insurance Program.

It takes 30 days for a new flood insurance policy to go into effect. There are additional ways renters, homeowners, and business owners can reduce potential flood damage to some, but not all, of their property. These include:

• Storing important documents in waterproof containers, on an upper floor.
• Caulking windows, doors, and gaps where pipes and wires enter a building.
• Labeling propane tanks with the owner’s name and address.
• Choosing tile or other waterproof flooring over the carpeting on lower floors.

For details, visit www.dcr.virginia.gov/floodawarenessweek.