The monsoon season has finally arrived in Pakistan. Rains bring scorching summer temperatures down and people eagerly wait for this weather throughout the year. However, heavy rainfall can lead to various hazards. Case in point: landsliding in the northern areas of Pakistan. In order to stay safe during a landslide you need to be extra cautious.
Between July and August, torrential rainfall is expected in many parts of the country, especially in the northern areas. Coincidentally, that’s also one of the most favourable times for tourists to travel to the north. People should adopt certain safety measures to avoid becoming a victim of any type of natural calamity, especially land sliding.
Tips to Stay Safe during a Landslide in the Rainy Season
Chances of landsliding during the rainy season are really high. If you live in hilly areas or happen to be on a vacation up north, fret not. We have some important landslide safety measures for you that could be lifesavers.
- Check for Weather Forecast
- Stay Awake and Alert
- Carry Medicinal Supplies
- Move Away from the Areas Prone to Landslides
- Be a Cautious Driver
- Call for Help
- Curl Yourself into a Ball-like Shape
Now let’s talk about each of these landslides safety tips in detail
Check for Weather Forecast
First things first, always check for the weather forecast whenever you are ready to hit the road, especially when you are travelling in the northern areas of Pakistan during heavy rains. You would never know when things could go against you, so it is better to take preventive measures.
Thanks to the easy availability of the smartphone and the internet with the help of which you can check on the news constantly and keep a track on any of the information particularly related to the weather. Met offices in different parts of the country regularly make announcements in such circumstances to assure the safety of the public. You just have to make sure not to miss any of those important announcements.
Stay Awake and Alert
Suppose you are stuck on the road in the midst of a traffic jam due to a landslide on a hillside. The best thing you can do in this situation to assure the safety of you and others travelling along with you is to stay awake and alert.
Carefully listen to any unusual sound like boulders knocking together, falling rocks or cracking trees. Your safety greatly counts on your alertness.
Carry Medicinal Supplies
In case, you or someone travelling along you get injured or hit by something because of falling debris in a landslide, then you must have enough medicinal supply to provide first aid to the affected person. Furthermore, puddles and wet pastures along the roads become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, so it is best to carry repellents to keep those disease carriers away.
Move Away from the Area Prone to Landslides
One of the cleverest things to do to stay safe during a landslide when it’s raining is to move as far as possible from the area where the occurrence of national calamities like seismic activity and land sliding is a norm.
Hilly roads that have hazards of land sliding are usually marked with warning signboards. So, it is better for you to keep an eye out and avoid taking such routes, especially if it is pouring down or even just upon receiving warning about heavy rains.
Be a Cautious Driver
Drive slowly and cautiously while following all the traffic rules. Do not take the risk of overtaking or over speeding as there are usually sudden blind turns on roads passing through mountains and hills. Applying sudden breaks may also not work as tyres do not get a good grip on wet roads. Here are some more tips for you to drive cautiously during monsoon.
Call for Help
If things go out of your hand and you have a working phone connection or a satellite phone, then you can definitely reach out to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) to get help. It is one of the most feasible options for people stuck in a disaster like situation. The National Disaster Management Authority have established shelters all around Pakistan, especially in rural areas where people are mostly prone of becoming victims of natural calamities like earthquakes, floods and landslides.
Curl Yourself into a Ball-like Shape
Desperate times call for desperate measures. If, heaven forbid, you find yourself trapped in a landslide, curl into ball-like shape. This is how you can cover your face and your stomach area with the help of your hands and legs, to avoid any major injury.
All these tips can help you to stay safe during a landslide even when it’s pouring down. Furthermore, you can also check out another blog of ours in which we have given you general precautionary tips for the monsoon season.
Want to let us know your recent experience related to monsoon or have some questions regarding our today’s post? Reach out to us at blog@zameen.com.
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