Some useful information was found on the second page (guided from http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/ems/flood_cds/en/) of this article regarding short- and long-term measures to minimize the spread of disease after a flood.\n\n1. FROM Flooding and communicable diseases fact sheet (http://www.who.int/hac/techguidance/ems/flood_cds/en/index1.html):\na. Chlorination of water - Ensuring uninterrupted provision of safe drinking water is the most important preventive measure to be implemented following flooding, in order to reduce the risk of outbreaks of water-borne diseases. Free chlorine is the most widely and easily used, and the most affordable of the drinking water disinfectants. It is also highly effective against nearly all waterborne pathogens (except Cryptosporidium parvum oocysts and Mycobacteria species). At doses of a few mg/litre and contact times of about 30 minutes, free chlorine generally inactivates >99.99% of enteric bacteria and viruses. For point-of-use or household water treatment, the most practical forms of free chlorine are liquid sodium hypochlorite, solid calcium hypochlorite and bleaching powder (chloride of lime; a mixture of calcium hydroxide, calcium chloride and calcium hypochlorite). The amount of chlorine needed depends mainly on the concentration of organic matter in the water and has to be determined for each situation. After 30 minutes, the residual concentration of active chlorine in the water should be between 0.2-0.5 mg/l, which can be determined using a special test kit.\nb. Malaria prevention with Insecticides - flooding does not necessarily lead to an immediate major increase in mosquito numbers, and there may still be time to implement preventive measures such as indoor residual spraying, or the retreatment/distribution of ITNs in areas where their use is well-known. This will also have an effect on other mosquito-borne diseases.\nc. Health education - Promote good hygienic practice. Ensure safe food preparation techniques. Ensure boiling or chlorination of water. Vital importance of early diagnosis and treatment for malaria (within 24 hours of onset of fever).\nd. Handling the dead - Burial is preferable to cremation in mass causalities and where identification of victims is not possible. The mass management of human remains is often based on the false belief that they represent an epidemic hazard if not buried or burned immediately. Bodies should not be disposed of unceremoniously in mass graves and this does not constitute a public health a public health measure, violates important social norms and can waste scarce resources. Graveyards should be at least 30m from groundwater sources used for drinking water. The bottom of any grave must be at least 1.5m above the water table with a 0.7m unsaturated zone. Surface water from graveyards must not enter inhabited areas. Ensure universal precautions for blood and body fluids. Ensure use and correct disposal of gloves (no re-use). Ensure use of body bags. Ensure hand-washing with soap after handling bodies and before eating. Ensure disinfection of vehicles and equipment. Bodies do not need to be disinfected before disposal (except in case of cholera).\n\n

Information Seeking Self-Study: Family & Household Emergency Preparedness