Are cards under Self Destruct Sequence in play?

Other Games SotM Game Engine
1

I know they are still considered Environment cards because of their backs, but are they "in play". I'd have thought not, but Ra played Scorched Earth in the app today and it counted both cards underneath SDS too. 

On a related note, I know facedown cards have no text, so what happens if I want to hypothetically destroy a card under SDS with, say, Flash Flood?  Are you allowed to look at the front of the card you destroy before you pick it?

2

Cards under other cards have no text but still belong to their deck and can be re-destroyed - Haka re-destroys cards under Savage Mana (letting Bunker's Ammo Drop go off a second time per card), Freedom Six Tempest can destroy his own cards that've been stolen by La Capitan, and so on.