Avoid water hazards with vigilance, preparedness

Besides the usual severe weather warnings and weather-related incidents seen this time of year in Missouri, many of us also lately have heard about our fair share of drowning deaths.

If you thought accidental drownings appeared to be on the rise statewide, you weren't imagining it.

The first seven months of this year have seen 30 water-related fatalities in the state, which, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, already exceed all water-related deaths in 2014.

The primary culprit, say representatives from MSHP and other agencies, is flooding.

Only two of this year's drowning deaths have occurred in the Southeast Missouri region. But as far as we are concerned, those were two deaths too many, and likely could have been prevented with proper floatation devices or by avoiding potentially flooded roadways.

In that spirit, the following are some safety tips from disastersafety.org:

• If flash flooding is possible, move immediately to higher ground.
• Be aware of streams, drainage ditches and other bodies that can flood suddenly.
• Do not walk through moving water -- a mere six inches can knock you over. Two feet of rushing water can carry away most vehicles.
• Do not camp or park your vehicle along waterways such as streams, rivers or creeks, especially during severe weather.