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Natural disasters

Emergency numbers differ by country. This page uses 911, the number for the United States and Canada. Many other countries use 112, 999, or another number. Find the number for your country.

Natural disasters can strike with little warning, and the first minutes matter most. These guides tell you what to do during each kind of disaster and what to check afterward, in plain steps you can follow under stress.

If this is happening right now

  • Shaking ground: drop, cover, and hold on. See earthquakes.
  • Water rising: move to higher ground and never drive through floodwater. See floods.
  • Fire or heavy smoke nearby: leave early if officials tell you to. See wildfires.
  • A tornado warning: go to an interior room on the lowest floor. See tornadoes.

If anyone is hurt or in danger, call your local emergency number (911 in the United States and Canada, 112 across the European Union, 999 in the United Kingdom). The emergency numbers page lists more countries.

Our natural disaster guides

Earthquakes

Learn Drop, Cover, and Hold On, what to do in bed, outdoors, or in a car, and how to stay safe from aftershocks, gas leaks, and tsunamis near the coast.

Floods

Learn why you should turn around and never drive or walk through floodwater, when to evacuate, and how to stay safe once the water goes down.

Wildfires

Get ready to evacuate early, protect yourself from smoke, know what to do if you are trapped, and return home safely.

Tornadoes

Understand watches and warnings, find the safest room, and know what to do in a mobile home, a vehicle, or after the storm.

Flash floods

What to do when fast-moving water rises in minutes, including escaping vehicles and reaching high ground safely.

Tsunamis

Recognize natural tsunami warning signs, move inland and uphill immediately, and know when it is safe to return.

Landslides

Identify warning signs of debris flows, what to do if a landslide strikes, and how to stay safe during heavy rain in hilly areas.

Volcanoes

Evacuation rules for volcanic eruptions, protecting your lungs and eyes from volcanic ash, and staying clear of mudflows.

Extreme heat

How to stay cool during severe heatwaves, avoid heat illness, and care for vulnerable family members when power fails.

Winter storms

How to stay warm safely during blizzards and ice storms, what to do if trapped in a car in snow, and avoiding carbon monoxide risk.

Thunderstorms and lightning

Find safe indoor shelter during severe thunderstorms, understand the 30-30 rule, and protect yourself if caught outdoors.

Dust storms and haboobs

What to do during a severe dust storm or haboob: vehicle safety rules (pull off, turn off lights), eye protection, and indoor shelter.

Hailstorms

How to protect yourself during a severe hailstorm: shelter rules, vehicle safety under overpasses, and home property damage prevention.

Drought

How to manage during severe drought and municipal water shortages: storing emergency drinking water, purification, and hygiene safety.

Avalanches

How to survive an avalanche: safety gear (beacon, probe, shovel), self-rescue techniques, and step by step companion search.

Sinkholes

How to identify sinkhole warning signs on property, safety steps during sudden collapse, and reporting to emergency officials.

Pandemics and disease outbreaks

How to prepare for and protect your family during a pandemic or disease outbreak: hygiene, isolation, masks, and official guidance.

Hurricanes, cyclones, and typhoons

Immediate safety steps for tropical storms, evacuations, storm surge, high winds, and structural shelter, with links to our sister site hurricane.guide.

Heavy rain and downpours

How to stay safe during torrential rainstorms, avoid hydroplaning while driving, protect home foundations, and prevent water intrusion.

Haboob and severe dust storm

Safety protocols for surviving haboobs, dust storms, zero-visibility driving hazards, respiratory protection, and shelter procedures.

Flash freeze and black ice driving

Emergency driving procedures for rapid temperature drops, transparent black ice, skid recovery, and vehicle winter survival.

Historic heat dome survival

Emergency protocols for multi-day heat domes, urban heat island mitigation, indoor cooling without power, and high-risk vulnerability care.

Hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones

These storms have their own full guide on our sister site, hurricane.guide. It covers preparing, riding out the storm, and recovering afterward, in many languages.

Get ready before it happens

Most of what keeps you safe in any disaster is done in advance. Start with these two pages.