When a tornado is approaching, you should know what to do (and what not to do)
Tornadoes are spectacular and dangerous meteorological occurrences that form as a result of big thunderstorms. The spinning wind that forms these vortices may reach speeds of up to 300 miles per hour and destroy anything in its path. Deadly!
On the good side, tornadoes don't kill as many people as other natural disasters—only approximately 80 people die from tornadoes in the United States in a given year—but you should still prepare, especially if you reside in a tornado-prone area of the nation.
What to do in the event of a tornado
Take these easy precautions to increase your odds of surviving a tornado.
- Determine your degree of risk: Tornadoes are most common in the Midwest and Southeast of the United States, although they can theoretically strike anywhere. Oklahoma City, located in the heart of "Tornado Alley," is the most tornado-prone city in the United States.
- Tornado warnings are broadcast by outdoor sirens in some areas, local television and radio stations, cable television networks, mobile phone applications, and NOAA weather radio. Don't rely on a single source of information; instead, double (or triple) check.
- Plan where you'll go in the case of a tornado: In the event of a tornado, the best location to go is a FEMA safe room or a storm shelter built to ICC 500 requirements. If you haven't already constructed or purchased one, you should escape to a tiny, inside, windowless room on the lowest level of your home, ideally the basement.
- If you live in a trailer, you must locate a storm shelter outside your home. Trailers do not fare well in tornadoes.
- Make a drill: Once you've determined where you're going, practice getting there swiftly and safely. Don't forget about your pet!
- Prepare an emergency kit: Your all-purpose home catastrophe kit should include water, food, a flashlight, first-aid materials, and other essentials. Check out the federal government's shopping list for a more thorough list of recommended supplies.
What the tornado terminology used by the National Weather Service signify
- Tornado watch: This signifies that the meteorological conditions for tornadoes are favorable in the next hours. It frequently encompasses a broad territory that includes numerous cities, counties, or even states. If you hear this, keep an eye on your information sources.
- Tornado warning: This indicates that a tornado has been observed or has been detected on weather radar. If you hear one of them, it's time to act—life and property are in risk.
- Tornado emergency: This is the National Weather Service warning you that a tornado is on its way and that it will be severe. It implies that considerable, widespread devastation is to be predicted, with a strong possibility of multiple casualties.
What to do in the event of a tornado
If you're really lucky, you could get up to an hour's notice that you're in the path of a tornado, but the typical warning period is around 15 minutes, which should be plenty of time to get to your shelter or wonder why you were too lazy to construct one.
- Cover yourself: While you wait for fate to demolish or spare your house, you should crouch in your refuge, covering yourself with a blanket and furniture and using your arms to shield your head and neck. The most dangerous aspect of a tornado is flying debris.
- Keep up to date: Check your battery-powered radio for updates.
- If you are not at home when a tornado strikes, the worst place to be is in a "long-span facility," such as a mall, theater, gym, or Amazon warehouse. The general guideline is the same as it is at home: get to the lowest level of the structure, avoid windows, and protect your head and neck from flying debris.
- If you're in your automobile when a tornado strikes, don't try to flee it. If you have time, go to a shelter and stay there. Pull over, duck beneath the windows, keep your seatbelt secured, and protect your head and neck if there is no cover. Alternatively, abandon your automobile and seek refuge in a low-lying spot, such as a ditch or ravine.
- If you are outside when a tornado strikes, seek cover immediately. Sheds, tents, and mobile houses are not safe places to live. If no cover is available, go to a low-lying spot, such as a ditch or ravine, and lie flat. Use an item or your arms to shield your head and neck. Avoid regions with a lot of trees.
- If you are caught in a tornado: If you are caught in a tornado, you are unlikely to land in a mystical fantasy realm where you will discover that there is no place like home. You're going to die. Okay, you might make it—this eight-year-old boy did—but it's all luck at this point.
What to do in the aftermath of a tornado
The danger does not end when the tornado passes, especially if it hits your home.
- Save your mobile batteries by sending texts or posting on social media instead of calling to announce you've survived.
- A basic guideline to follow at all times is to avoid downed power wires and other harmful material.
- Take measures when cleaning up: When cleaning up after a catastrophe, use thick gloves, boots, pants, and a mask. You'd feel very stupid if you got harmed after the storm destroyed your house because you were wearing flip-flops.
Tornadoes are frequently misunderstood
"Hide beneath an underpass" It's really more risky to wait out a storm under an underpass since the tight path can increase wind speed, therefore don't wait out a storm there.
"I should drive away from it" you say, because you don't know which way the tornado will go—no one does—and you'd probably smash into something anyhow. So just be patient.
"Seek refuge in the southwest corner of the home" People used to believe that tornadoes only moved northeast, hence the Southwest corner of the house was the safest from debris. Tornadoes, on the other hand, can move in any direction.
"Hide beneath an underpass" It's really more risky to wait out a storm under an underpass since the tight path can increase wind speed, therefore don't wait out a storm there.
"I should drive away from it" you say, because you don't know which way the tornado will go—no one does—and you'd probably smash into something anyhow. So just be patient.
"Seek refuge in the southwest corner of the home" People used to believe that tornadoes only moved northeast, hence the Southwest corner of the house was the safest from debris. Tornadoes, on the other hand, can move in any direction.
#Tornado
SOURCE: yahoo
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