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Flooding occurs when an overflow of water submerges land that is usually dry and can’t drain away fast enough. Flooding can occur quickly and has the potential to cause widespread devastation, including damage to roads, buildings, public health infrastructure and loss of life. Between 1998-2017 more than 2 billion people were affected by flooding globally. (1)
In addition to the risk of injury or death, flooding can lead to serious health problems. (3) Travellers visiting areas affected by flooding need to be aware of the potential increased risk to their own health and how to protect themselves.
Travellers should be advised to stay out of floodwater which may contain hidden dangers, such as:
Injury can also occur from fires, explosions and/or damage to buildings which may become unstable and collapse.
Children should be closely supervised and deterred from playing in or around flood water to reduce their risk of diseases and/or drowning accidents.
See further information on Accident Prevention
Pools of stagnant water left from flood water improves breeding conditions for mosquitoes, flies and other insects that thrive in warm, wet environments. In countries where vector-borne diseases, such as malaria, dengue fever and yellow fever are a risk, these conditions are likely to become more common.
All travellers visiting areas endemic for malaria should be given advice on mosquito bite avoidance, and if indicated on the country page, chemoprophylaxis.
Travellers with underlying health issues travelling to known malaria-risk areas affected by flooding should be appropriately risk-assessed, as they may benefit from chemoprophylaxis, even if travelling to regions with low malaria risk.
The risk of food and water-borne infection increases in flooded areas. Travellers’ diarrhoea is spread through contaminated food and water. Potentially severe infections like typhoid, cholera, hepatitis A and hepatitis E are likely to become more common.
Vaccination (when available) should be considered following risk assessment for those travelling to high-risk areas. In addition, travellers should be advised to:
Leptospirosis may be a risk in flood affected areas if fresh water, damp soil, mud or vegetation (such as sugar cane) become contaminated with bacteria which is contained in the urine of rodents. (4) Travellers should be advised to:
Flooding can harm wildlife as well as people, often destroying habitats and/or causing animals to drown or become displaced. In countries where rabies is a risk, animals may be more likely to attack people if they are distressed.
Avoiding contact with animals is the best way to prevent animal bites or scratches. Following any animal exposure, travellers should be advised to:
Snakes can become displaced during flooding and may relocate indoors or to outbuildings. They may feel threatened and attack if approached. Travellers should be advised to avoid all contact with snakes and if bitten, to seek urgent medical advice.
All travellers to flood-affected regions should:
