LBJ Public Information
Sanitation and Hygiene After a Tsunami
Flood waters may contain fecal materials from overflowing sewage, and agricultural and industrial byproducts. Skin contact by itself will not pose any problems, but there is risk of disease from eating or drinking anything contaminated with flood water. If you have any open cuts or sores exposed to flood waters, keep them clean by washing well with soap to control infection. If a wound develops redness, swelling, or drainage, seek immediate medical attention.
Furthermore, parents need to help children avoid waterborne illness. Do not allow children to play in flood water areas, wash children’s hands frequently (always before meals) and do not allow children to play with flood-water contaminated toys that have not been disinfected. You can disinfect toys using a solution of 1 cup bleach in 5 gallons of water. Some toys like stuffed animals and baby toys, cannot be disinfected; they should be discarded.
E iai le avanoa e afaina ai le soifua maloloina mai suavai i galulolo ona o otaota o meaola ua fa’aleagaina ai le vai. O le afaina pea inu, tausami ma fa’aaoga mea na susu i le suavai mai le galulolo. A fa’apea o iai ni manu’a na susu mai vai o le galulolo, e mana’omia ia fufulu mama ia foia ai le inifeti. Mo ni manu’a ua mumu, fufula, pe ua sua fo’i e mana’omia e tala aao mai e va’ai se foma’i.
E fautuaina matua ia fesoasoani ia aua ne’i aafia le fanau i ni gasegase ona o le galulolo.
Taofi tamaiti ma le ta’aalo i vaivai na maua i le galulolo. Ia fufulu mama lima o tamaiti, ae maise lava ae le’i fafagaina. O mea ta’alo a tamaiti na susu I le galulolo e mafai ona sokaina I se paelo o iai le (1 ipu chlorox I le lima kalone vai) ae le’I toe fa’aaogaina.
Food Safety After Tsunami
Thawed food can usually be eaten, or refrozen if it still contains ice crystals. Discard any food that has been at room temperature for 2 or more hours, or any food that has an unusual odor, color, or texture.
Do not eat any food that has not been sealed in waterproof containers (commercially canned or sealed plastic containers) and that may have come in contact with seawater, floodwater, river water or pond water. Throw away any food not in nonsealed, nonwaterproof containers that has come in contact with flood waters.
Undamaged commercially canned foods can be saved. Remove the can labels, wash the outside of the cans with soapy water, and thoroughly disinfect cans using 1 cup of bleach in 5 gallons of water. Use a marker to label cans.
If opened food containers have screw caps, snap lids, crimped caps (soda pop bottles) twist caps or flip tops, or if they have been home canned, throw them away if they have come in contact with flood water.
E mafai ona fa’aaogaina mea ‘ai tu’u aisa pe afai o malulu pea, e mafai fo’i na toe tu’u ile aisa mea ‘ai pea le’i te’a ese le aisa. E fautuaina le mamalu o le atunu’u ia aua le fa’aaogaina mea ‘ai ua atoa le 2 itula (pe sili atu fo’i) o mafanafana pea i fafo o le pusa aisa, fa’apea mea ‘ai ua ese le manogi, pe ua sui le lanu. Aua le toe fa’aaogaina mea ‘ai e le’i tu’uina i se ipu e iai sona tapuni, pe na iai se avanoa na susu ai i le vai o le galulolo. O mea ‘ai tu’u apa na susu i le galulolo, e mana’omia ia fufu le apa, ave’ese le pepa, fufui ise paelo o iai le (1 ipu Chlorox i kalone vai e lima) toe tusi le igoa o le apa i se (marker). O fagu ma ipu o iai tapuni ae na susu i le vai o le galulolo, e fautuaina e aua le toe fa’aaogaina.