Tornado safety: what to do

Tornadoes form quickly in severe thunderstorms. Warnings often give only minutes to reach shelter.

If you are in danger right now, call your local emergency number. Find the number for your country.

What to do

Go to a basement or an interior room on the lowest floor, away from windows.
Cover your head and neck. Mobile homes are not safe; get to a sturdy building.
In a vehicle with no shelter nearby, get as low as possible and cover your head.

Track tornado activity live

Zero Containment shows active tornado events worldwide on a live map, with official alerts, distance from you, local weather and the emergency number for that location.

See live tornado activity

More safety guides

Earthquake · Tsunami · Volcanic eruption · Wildfire · Hurricane and cyclone · Flood and landslide · Extreme heat and cold · Wildfire smoke and air quality · Space weather · Chemical spill and hazmat · Nuclear and radiological emergency · Explosion and building fire · Transport disaster · Power outage and infrastructure failure · Active attack and civil emergency · Disease outbreak

General guidance compiled from public emergency-management advice. Always follow instructions from local authorities.