RICHMOND, Va. — Central Virginia faces real risks from severe weather Monday, and emergency management officials say preparation is key to staying safe when severe weather strikes.
Jason Elmore with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management warns that even a small amount of water on a roadway can be deadly.
"Especially if it's moving at a fairly rapid pace, [the water] can actually pull your car away and off of the roadway, which is obviously extremely dangerous," Elmore said.
Elmore said drivers should never attempt to navigate flooded roads and should always find an alternate route.
"You always use that catch line, turn around, don't drown. And so if you have to take a couple of extra minutes to go around an area, make sure that you're planning that and getting around that flooded roadway," Elmore said.
Now is the time to prepare for severe weather. That includes creating an emergency plan with your family and at work, establishing a central meeting place, and assembling a basic disaster supply kit with flashlights, batteries, blankets, and water.
Tornadoes are among the most violent and powerful storms.
Elmore said a tornado warning means residents need to seek shelter immediately.
"You want to make sure that you get into an area that doesn't have any windows. That may be an interior room. If you have a basement, that is the best case scenario, you want to get on the lowest level of your house," Elmore said.
Elmore also urged residents to charge phones, devices, and power banks now, before a storm knocks out power.
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