Source: Flooding in Vereeniging during the 2010/11 La Niña event. (Image: Kevinpolden/Wikipedia)
But it is so – and we should all be prepared. Right now. So says Marcel Wood, head of Hollard Broker Markets’ Risk Improvement Centre of Excellence.
In anticipation of rain and flood-related claims, Hollard Broker Markets has taken proactive steps to assist qualifying policyholders with immediate and effective assistance. It has entered into a partnership with Drizit Environmental, which will respond to flood-related queries with the aim of preventing further loss and cleaning up the damage that falls within the scope of a claim.
This is the current situation: we are currently experiencing drought because of a cyclical weather phenomenon that happens halfway around the world. Called El Niño (Spanish for “the boy”), the warming of a band of ocean and atmosphere in the central and east-central Pacific Ocean affects rainfall patterns around the world and leads to below-average rainfall in central-southern Africa.
When that patch of Pacific Ocean and atmosphere cools again, El Niño (officially the El Niño Southern Oscillation, or ENSO) becomes known as La Niña (“the girl”). And the opposite happens to our rainfall numbers: extreme precipitation, coupled with a much higher risk of flooding.
The last time we experienced La Niña was in 2010-11 when Southern Africa suffered extensive flooding, the loss of dozens of lives and billions of rands in damage. We are well aware of the destructive power of this phenomenon.
Although scientists aren’t in full agreement about the specifics, the timing for La Niña – and its extreme wet-weather conditions – is currently estimated to be December 2016 to February 2017.
To be ready for this possibility and to be proactive in the protection of our insurance clients and brokers, Hollard’s Risk Improvement team – informed by corresponding claims history – has been doing extensive research around the risks we likely face from La Niña.
Says Wood: “It seems that we are likely to experience what scientists are calling ‘a weak La Niña’, from December to February. We have endured a very dry, warmer-than-average weather pattern associated with El Niño, resulting in a devastating drought in South Africa.
“What usually follows an El Niño is a La Niña, which usually brings wetter-than-normal conditions and can result in flooding. Our claims records at Hollard during past La Niña events support this expectation.”
Wood warns: “We need to be prepared, and protect our possessions and families against realistic expectations. Our task here is to give you a bottom line and clarity on what you need to do to prepare for extreme rain and possible flooding.
“We can certainly take a moment to celebrate the fact that better rainfall will ease the effects of our drought, but it is vital that we understand, and prepare, for the associated adverse aftermath of excessive rain and flooding that is usually associated with La Niña.”
Understand flooding – and what can be done
Flooding is often caused by excessive rain, resulting in flash flooding and bodies of water overflowing their normal boundaries. These include rivers, streams, oceans, bays, lakes, canals and dams.
Flooding can also occur as a result of stormwater run-off accumulating in normally dry areas, which are unprepared for high volumes of water.
The reality is that protecting a facility from the negative effects of flooding is not simple, as stormwater run-off can occur anywhere.
That’s why Hollard Broker Markets’ Risk Improvement team has prepared a comprehensive list of protective, proactive steps that you and your clients can take:
1. Check if you are at risk of flooding from a nearby river, watercourse, lake, or dam, should it overflow.
2. Clean and unblock gutters, drain pipes, drain entrances and all drainage apparatus, and protect the drain inlets with metal grates and strategically placed curbs.
3. Repair holes in perimeter walling. to prevent water from entering your premises in the first place.
4. Build protective walls (bunding) around sensitive equipment, especially electrical equipment, furnaces, boilers, computers, electronic switchgear – or other equipment that uses oils to keep cool.
Alternatively, or in addition, ensure as many openings as possible to allow water to drain away and not build up around equipment. A professional assessment will indicate the best course of action.
If neither option is possible or feasible, have a quick response plan to shut down sensitive equipment and empty oils and other lubricants from open reservoirs or sumps, to limit oil contamination.
5. Do not place products or equipment that can leak oil, solvents or fuel in areas that are likely to flood. Contamination slows up building clean-ups.
6. Relocate sensitive and high-value equipment and critical records to higher ground or above water risk levels.
7. Identify suppliers of sensitive equipment well in advance of potential flooding, to reduce downtime following an incident.
8. Seriously consider physical barriers such as floodgates, special doors and sandbagging at all susceptible entrances.
9. Risk-manage openings to basements and tunnels. Seal old piping that is no longer in use. Repair any openings considered below the flood level.
10. Seal all water intrusion points in the floors and walls, including:
- Sanitary systems: use automatic closing devices such as check valves on wastewater systems, sanitary sewers, combined sewers, storm drains and floor drains
- Piping, wiring, conduit and penetrations to prevent seepage: permanently seal gaps with water-resistant materials
- Ventilation ductwork and shafts: re-route ductwork above the flood level, where possible, and seal the remaining openings
- Electrical and signalling conduits: permanently seal gaps with water-resistant materials, including penetrations into electrical panels mounted on the wall that may not be apparent without opening the panels
- Construction floor and wall joints: seal construction joints and cracks caused by settling, impact and other factors
11. Do not narrow, re-route or change any on-site watercourses.
12. Locate emergency and maintenance equipment in areas above the predicted flood levels, where possible, including:
- Emergency power equipment
- Critical spare parts, motors, hand tools and equipment
- Building, construction and equipment plans, maintenance manuals, etc.
13. Properly anchor anything that could float or move due to buoyancy, moving water or wave impact. This also prevents the creation of debris. Structures of concern include storage tanks, silos, bins, sealed conduits and pipes.
14. Install watertight covers over cable trenches to prevent the trenches from being filled with silt and debris.
15. Install (and regularly test) water sensors and relay devices that will automatically send an alarm or shut off non-essential electrical devices before flood damage occurs.
16. Install automatic sprinkler valves and pumps outside flood-prone areas, so that they will operate should flood debris rupture ignitable liquid tanks or flammable gas piping. Sprinklers will be essential should the fire service be unable to reach a blaze.
Act now – share with your clients
“Hollard Broker Markets appeals to intermediaries to action this risk management process as an immediate priority. Risk management encouragement is a vitally important role you can play in the success of your business clients, and we recommend that you discuss our preventive actions with them,” says Wood.
“Hollard wants communities throughout South Africa to take charge of the extreme weather possibilities that lie ahead. Don’t leave your preparations to the last minute, in case heavy rains arrive a little earlier than expected, and also give any protective walls that need building around sensitive equipment time to settle.
“There is little time to waste.”
Assistance for HBM clients who suffer flood damage
In the unfortunate event that any Hollard Broker Markets clients anywhere in South Africa do suffer rain and flood damage during the period between 1 December 2016 and 28 February 2017, and the flood damage is covered by their policy and they have a valid claim, the Drizit 24-hour call centre can be contacted on 0861 MY RISK (0861 69 7475).
There will be no costs for Hollard Broker Markets clients to use these services, and we will pick up the costs of any initial responses to emergencies as well as initial preventative clean-up.
After the initial preventative clean-up, a Hollard-approved loss adjuster will agree with Drizit if a more complex clean-up and loss prevention is required, and this cost will form part of the clean-up costs payable under a claim according to the policy, and so there will be no clean-up costs payable by the client.
To find out more about how you can assist your clients to prepare for the worst effects of La Niña, please contact Marcel Wood at (011) 351 2422 or marcelw@hollard.co.za.
Downloads
Hollard flood prevention tips
Guide For Brokers And Their Clients On How To Prevent Flood Damage
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