how safe during monsoon

alonig

We are sending a group of volunteers out to Goa starting this November and have planned that this will be a 5 year rolling project with volunteers changing over every 6 months. I ahve been asked to find out how safe it is for them to be out there during the monsoon season.
Can anyone enlighten me?? would it be very dangerous as we have been reading some press stories re deaths etc in India due to rains and winds etc.
My thought is we need to put this in context. We have deaths in the UK when we have extreme weather! But as we are responsible for the groups safety we need to check this out.
What particular hazards should we be aware of during the monsoon??

thanks

goangoangone

You're right to put it into context. If it's very stormy, windy etc., as it was a couple of weeks ago in the cyclone, then stay indoors.
There will always be power lines brought down by coconut branches and other trees. Nobody bothers to prune trees or clean up obvious hazards before monsoon. Day to day activities can be just as dangerous, certainly with the standard of driving, and generally with lack of safety procedures which are taken for granted elsewhere. Overall, I would say that the monsoon is not especially any more dangerous than any other time of year. Use your common sense. Keep your eyes and ears open.

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