Caught by flash floods? 5 things you must do when driving through a flood

It is that time again in Nairobi and you’re this guy here

You probably left home for the supermarket because the heavy rain felled an electric post and left you and your family in the dark, so you stepped out to buy candles.

Or maybe you had a sudden craving for pizza, either way you left the house in the middle of a storm – literally.

You get stuck in traffic in Westlands, and before you know it, the road is a rushing river. Before you can say Majameni! the river becomes the mouth of a swamp and within no time you’re standing spat in the middle of the fast rising waters of a lake.

You realise way before people cut down trees and built Nairobi, this whole area must have been a swamp… or a seasonal river. Then you have to think of a way out. How can you ensure you leave this situation with both your car and yourself in working condition?

1. First of all, note that it is advisable to drive slowly when approaching a flood or stop completely, but don’t switch off your car. If you don’t know how deep the water is, it is better to turn back instead of digging yourself deeper into a hole full of water!

If the water is too fast and your car is as little as a Toyota Vitz, don’t drive through; you might get swept away.

2. Switch off your air conditioning (AC) to ensure the fan in the engine compartment is not damaged by the flow of the flood water you are driving in.

3. According to WikiHow, put the gear of your vehicle to the highest, for manual transmission put it to (1) and for automatic transmission put it to (+ -) and put it the (1) or first gear.

4. Balance the acceleration on high, and it is normal to growl the engine so that water does not go in through your exhaust. Ensure the car does not shut down in the middle of the flood water because it will destroy your engine.

5. Now keep driving till you approach the higher part of the road.