Flooding doesn't only cause immediate damage to property. Lingering floodwaters can create health problems, too. Hazardous chemicals spill and are spread by the waters; septic tanks are damaged and leak; clothing and fabrics turn moldy; rotting food and dead animals attract bacteria that spread disease; and clean drinking water is hard to find. When the waters receded after Hurricane Floyd and people returned to their homes, many found an almost unimaginable mess.

The newsletter below, published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the North Carolina Emergency Management Division, warns residents of health risks in the flood's aftermath and gives advice on how to clean up. It also gives advice on other aspects of recovery, such as obtaining copies of financial records lost in the flood and avoiding fraud in home repairs.

This newsletter was published by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the North Carolina Emergency Management Division during the recovery from Hurricane Floyd.