Flood, windstorm checklist for commercial and industrial buildings

  For the past two weekends, deadly storms left a path of destruction in areas across the U.S. South. On Easter Sunday, more than 60 tornadoes touched down in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, as well as the Carolinas and Tennessee. More than 33 people were killed in those storms. Then on April 19, powerful thunderstorms brought tornadoes, rain and strong winds to the Southeast, leaving thousands without power. In the U.S., spring to fall brings the trifecta of catastrophe risks: flood, tornadoes and hurricanes. Notably, the Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 until November 1, while March to June marks the period when most tornadoes strike; however, these storms can happen every month during the year. Similarly, floods also can happen at any time but most frequently occur between spring and fall. No area of the U.S. is risk-free from any of these weather events. Although the East Coast bears the most hurricane exposure, the Midwest and South see the most tornadoes. Consider "Tornado Alley," which includes Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, South Dakota, Iowa and Nebraska. With that in mind, commercial and industrial facilities around the country must be prepared for a natural disaster at all times. To inform commercial and industrial buildings about weather-related exposures, FM Global created a "last-minute" flood and windstorm checklist to help these facilities mitigate damage. Find these tips from FM Global in the slideshow above. Related:

• Insurers prepare for impending disasters
• Everything you need in your emergency 'go' bag
• U.S. saw 14 $1B natural disasters in 2019, now the second wettest year on record