Flooding can pose many dangers and health risks, health unit warns

Amanda Hicks has all the weather details you need to know for northeastern Ontario and what to expect for the next seven days.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is urging people to be safe and take precautions as they deal with widespread flood conditions in the health unit’s catchment area.

John Wright, 70, is a resident of Coniston who is living with the aftermath of a flood. Wright has lived in his house on Caruso Street in Coniston for 20 years.

He has no heat right now after water flooded his basement on Tuesday.

“There was between three and four feet of water in the basement and for some reason the sump pump kicked back on again,” Wright said.

“It’s stalled out or something -- there was too much water coming in.

The water flipped his washing machine upside down and damaged almost everything in his basement, which is soaked with dirty flood water.

He said the stress of it all sent him to the hospital.

“Very nerve-racking,” said Wright.

Public Health Sudbury and Districts is urging people to be aware of the hazards posed by flooding.

“Flooding in basements can affect your appliances such as furnaces or electrical panels, freezers -- things like that,” said Adam Ranger, environmental support officer.

“Immediate safety would be first and foremost.”

Wright said he knows first-hand the hazards of flooding and is appreciative of the help he has received.

“The fire department was very helpful that way,” he said.

“They came in and then they unplugged all the electrical stuff and turned the furnace off.”

Public Health said there are also health hazards, ranging from contaminated food to sewage in flood water.

“Sewage effluent E. Coli is obviously the main concern,” said Ranger.

“However, there is a cocktail of bacteria and viruses that could be found within that and so… sewage contamination should be treated like a biohazard.”

Aside from health worries, Wright said he is upset flooding is a regular spring occurrence on Caruso Street.

“We have ice jams on the creek. They could take the ice jams away but they never do it’s been happening for years,” he said.

Public Health is asking people to check on those affected by flooding due to the hazards and hardships.

It said there is information on its website about flooding health risks, precautions and dangers.