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Safety Measure During Flood – How we can play a part as citizens

November 19, 2025

Bethany Institutions

Flooding is no longer an occasional headline for Bengaluru. Each year, it brings damage, deaths, and distress to residents.

Just last year, a video of school buses stranded in rising water, children crying as they were ferried to safety on tractors, went viral. Boats have even been seen navigating the streets of India’s Silicon Valley. And only a few weeks ago, another heavy downpour battered large parts of the city.

Sadly, this isn’t only Bengaluru’s story.

In September 2025, Kolkata recorded its heaviest rainfall in nearly four decades, paralysing transport and claiming lives. Similar scenes have unfolded in Mumbai and Chennai, where climate change and rapid urban growth are converging faster than our infrastructure can cope.

While government action is critical, our everyday choices as neighbours and communities also shape how well we withstand these events.

We often underestimate what we can do as citizens. The steps we take as precautions for floods may seem small, but together they strengthen our neighbourhoods and support the larger efforts needed from city planners and government to keep communities safe.

Understanding why flooding is worsening is the first step towards making that difference, and it begins with each of us.

Know the Risk Around You

“Forewarned is forearmed,” as the old saying goes. The more you know about the risks around you, the better you can prepare for them.

Learning about your area involves checking local flood maps, past incident reports, and drainage zones to see whether your street or neighbourhood is prone to waterlogging. This simple step can help you plan safer routes and protect valuables long before the rain begins.

Timely information gives you those extra minutes to move vehicles, secure essentials, or simply stay indoors when heavy rain is on the way. However, weather reports on news channels are not the only way to stay informed. In fact, there are better options. The central government’s disaster alert portal “Sachet” allows you to keep an eye on all disaster warnings issued by authorised sources. Various states also have their own local bodies. For example, in Bengaluru, we have the BBMP or the Karnataka State Disaster Management Authority. Signing up for their notifications also ensures you receive accurate weather updates.

Prepare Your Home & Family

Flood readiness means staying a step ahead.

Start by creating a household action plan so everyone knows what to do if water levels rise. Decide on a family meeting point and map out evacuation routes in case you need to leave quickly. This prevents confusion in the event that phone networks fail or roads are blocked.

Next, pack an emergency kit with essentials, such as a torch, first-aid supplies, bottled water, dry food, basic medicines, a phone charger, and waterproof copies of important documents.

Finally, move valuables and critical electronics to higher shelves, loft spaces, or any sturdy surface above floor level. A few simple preparations, like these, can help reduce damage and keep your family safer when heavy rain hits.

Everyday Actions That Prevent Flooding

Flood prevention starts long before the rain. Small, steady habits can help your neighbourhood drain water better and reduce waterlogging.

Here are some small things you can start doing right away that can lead to a bigger impact:

Keep drains clear by removing leaves, debris, and plastic waste, and avoid throwing garbage where it can block water flow.
Plant trees and shrubs, which absorb excess rainwater and slow runoff. If you are paving a driveway or garden path, choose permeable surfaces like gravel or grass so water can soak into the ground.
You can also encourage rainwater harvesting and water-saving practices to reduce the strain on stormwater systems.

On a larger scale, you can organise or join neighbourhood clean-up drives and awareness campaigns.

Bethany, for example, encourages its students to see these clean-ups as more than chores. We call it “Citizenship in Action,” a way to learn responsibility while directly protecting our own city.

Our teachers often say that when students help clear a drain or talk to neighbours about water use, they are actually shaping habits that last a lifetime.

Do’s and Don’ts During a Flood

Knowing the do’s and don’ts during a flood is part of being a responsible citizen. When more people follow these simple safety measures, rescue efforts run smoother, resources stretch further, and entire neighbourhoods stay safer.

Do’s	Don’ts
Move to higher ground if water starts rising.	Avoid walking or driving through floodwater; even shallow water can sweep you off your feet or stall a vehicle.
Unplug devices and lift appliances to higher shelves if possible.	Don’t attempt to repair or reconnect power until authorities declare it safe.
Turn off the main power supply if water enters your home or if authorities warn of rising levels.	Don’t touch electrical equipment if you’re standing in water.
Check on neighbours, especially the elderly, children, and pets, if it’s safe to do so.	Don’t spread rumours on social media that can create panic.

The Bigger Picture: Civic Action

Flood resilience goes beyond individual preparation. A safer city depends on collective action and our right to advocate for better drainage systems, responsible waste management, and more green spaces. Citizens must raise their voices for these changes, and schools like ours can help lead the way.

We have seen how young people can spark powerful change. Our student leaders regularly speak about reducing single-use plastics and how plastics clog drains and worsen floods. On World Environment Day, our High School Department planted saplings, donated potted plants, and pledged to keep our environment green and clean.

Practical learning matters too. Through regular emergency drills, we train students to stay calm and act quickly in natural disasters. During our Annual Road Run, students, staff, and parents join a parallel clean-up drive, proving that neighbourhood action is both possible and impactful.

These experiences teach our students that civic responsibility is not an occasional project, but a daily practice. When young people grow up seeing climate action as second nature, they inspire families, neighbours, and communities to follow. Change begins with each of us, and schools like Bethany are proud to nurture that change every day.

A Safer City Begins With Us

Preventing and preparing for floods is not a matter of government efforts alone. It’s the daily choices of families, individuals, and neighbourhoods that decide whether Bengaluru, and cities like it, can withstand the next storm.

Education plays a powerful role in this journey. When schools nurture awareness, responsibility, and respect for the environment, they shape citizens who act, not just during a crisis, but every day. Lessons learned in classrooms and through community projects grow into lifelong habits that strengthen entire neighbourhoods.

Our future depends on this collective mindset. When communities act early and stand together, we move from simply reacting to floods to building a resilient city.

Let’s stop waiting for change. Let’s become it.

FAQs

Q1. What’s the difference between a flood watch and a flood warning? A flood watch means conditions are favourable for flooding. Stay alert. A flood warning means flooding is imminent or already occurring. Take immediate action.

Q2. Can planting trees around homes really help with flooding? Yes. Trees absorb rainwater, reduce runoff, and stabilize soil. They act as natural flood buffers.

Q3. What should I include in an emergency kit for floods? Torch, batteries, first aid, bottled water, dry food, waterproof documents, charger, medicines, and cash.

Q4. Which emergency numbers should I save in Bangalore?