Floodwater: stay out
The most common cause of flood deaths is entering floodwater. Leave early, stay out of water and stay safe afterwards.
Critical caution: Never drive, walk, ride or swim through floodwater. It can be deeper and faster than it looks, hide debris and open drains, and be contaminated or electrified.
- Time
- Before and during floods
- Difficulty
- Low
- Outcome
- Keep everyone out of floodwater
Survival lens: The survival rule here is simple and unglamorous: the safest flood route is the one you take before the water arrives.
Before you begin
- Check whether your home, work and routes are flood-prone
- Know which local roads close first
- Save your State Emergency Service number and the emergency number
What you need
- Grab bag
- Battery radio
- Torch
- Gloves and sturdy boots for clean-up
- Plastic bags for documents
Step-by-step procedure
- Know the warnings. Find the flood warnings for your area and what each level means. Flash flooding can happen with little warning after heavy rain.
- Act early. Move people, animals, vehicles and important items to higher ground before water rises. Follow evacuation advice when it is given.
- Stay out of floodwater. Do not drive, walk, ride or swim through it. Just 15 cm of fast water can knock an adult over, and a small car can float in about 30 cm. If you are trapped, go to the highest safe point and call for help.
- Keep children away. Keep children and animals away from creeks, drains, culverts and stormwater channels during and after rain.
- Stay safe afterwards. Do not return until authorities say it is safe. Wear gloves and boots, avoid fallen power lines, have electrical and gas systems checked before use, and discard food and medicines that touched floodwater.
- Water and hygiene after floods. Assume tap and tank water may be contaminated until authorities advise otherwise. Treat or use stored water. Wash hands after clean-up and cover cuts.
How to check it is working
- Everyone knows not to enter floodwater
- Routes avoid known flood points
- Children are supervised near water
- Food and medicines touched by floodwater are discarded
Common mistakes
- Driving across a flooded causeway
- Letting children play in floodwater
- Returning home before it is declared safe
- Using electrical appliances that were wet
Sources and further reading
- NSW SES: Make safe decisions during a flood (PDF)
- NSW SES: Flash flood safety guide (PDF)
- NSW SES: Stay safe after floods (PDF)
How this guide was checked
Official-source aligned: Aligned with NSW SES flood-safety guidance
Independent specialist review: not yet completed. How review works.
Last updated: Nov 2026 · edition 1.0.
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