Floods cause a lot of damage and destruction, causing loss of life, public property, and infrastructure. According to the WHO, between 1998 to 2017, floods affected more than 2 billion people worldwide.

What are Floods?

Floods occur when an area that is usually dry is submerged in water. They are the most common types of natural disasters and are caused by heavy rainfall and snowmelt, a surge of the storm from a tropical cyclone, or an overflow of water from water bodies.

There are three types of floods.

1. Flash floods

2. River floods 

3. Coastal floods

Effects of Floods

Many businesses in the path of floods may be shuttered for days, weeks, or even months. Many businesses may not be able to recover from shutdowns due to floods for years to come.

The loss incurred depends on the type of business involved. An example of this could be the recent floods in Alabama. It destroyed cattle, chickens, and horses and caused business operations to stop until the livestock could be replaced. A large part of inventory gets damaged when car dealerships get hit by floods, which leaves the cars in unsellable conditions and, in all likelihood, having to be scrapped as salvage titles. Similarly, transportation-based businesses may be unable to operate if their trucks or other transport vehicles cannot cross flooded areas.

Floods cause damage to the structure, the loss of valuable documents and inventory, and damage to machinery and vehicles that might cost thousands of dollars to replace.

How can businesses cope during floods?

Having a plan can reduce the impact of floods on businesses. You can reduce or prevent losses by preparing in advance. 

• Formulate a business continuity plan: Everyone should be prepared for a disaster like floods. Having a plan for business continuity is going to help when the companies resume operations. It has two benefits, it helps the business resume operations faster, and it also helps the employees understand and work with a clear knowledge of what to do. 

• Communicate: You need to know how many people can report to work. Therefore, you have to communicate with the manpower. Employees would need some time to deal with their personal issues, so consider giving them some off time. Some people might consider resigning if they feel overworked during a crisis like this. 

• Identify critical business activities:You need to determine what location to shift temporary operations to, in case you can’t afford to shut down. You should choose the location after consulting with the employees. Try to choose a location that is easily accessible and where travel routes are clear and easy. You may even consider offering to work from home temporarily.

While doing all of these tasks, along with many other things, can be difficult, you can have technical assistance to help you during incidents like this and operate faster and more efficiently. Finding the right platform is crucial but can be difficult. It must have all the relevant features that assist you during an emergency situation.