DC Water is distributing sandbags (DC Water/Facebook)
We might have dodged Joaquin, but we’re not out of the woods when it comes to flooding. Local officials are offering up sandbags along with common sense advice about how to prepare for some major rains.
Since Thursday, about 2 inches of rain has dropped on the D.C. metro area. The Capital Weather Gang says that we’re expecting another 1 to 3 inches of rain tonight through tomorrow morning. The downpour could impact the evening commute: the heaviest rains are expected between 2 p.m. and 9 p.m. tonight. Low-lying areas are most at risk.
Residents living in flood-prone neighborhoods—Bloomingdale and LeDroit Park, as well as the 900 block of P Street NW—can grab sandbags at First Street and Rhode Island Avenue NW. It is only residents of these neighborhoods that are going to be able to pick up sandbags. And if you do need sandbags, bring along some sort of proof of residency. You may be asked to show it. (The city broke ground on the First Street Tunnel last summer to help alleviate these problems, but it isn’t slated to be finished until 2016.)
DC Water says, in a release, that they’re ramping up staffing for the weekend, so they can work around the clock to keep storm drains clear and prepare pump stations for heavy flows.
They also recommend checking your gutters and downspouts to make sure they’re clear of debris. You should keep a three-day supply of food and water. If there are clogged drains, you can call the 24/7 Command Center at (202) 612-3400. The storm shouldn’t impact delivery of water, but you sign up for alerts here. And you can keep an eye on DC Water on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Virginia declared a state of emergency for the upcoming storm and offered some advice for residents. A lot of it is common sense: keep an eye on the news, sign up for alerts from your local government, be ready to evacuate, seek higher ground when there’s flooding, don’t drive through water and don’t walk through moving water. If you have a smart phone, you can sign up for the app Ready Virginia. Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has also declared a state of emergency.
