Crisis-Ready Society
Scenarios / Natural disasters & extreme weather

Severe storms, cyclones and hurricanes

Thunderstorms, cyclones and hurricanes bring damaging winds, lightning and flooding, and can cut power and water for days. This page helps families plan shelter or evacuation, ride out the storm safely, and recover afterwards.

Depends on where you live
In the UAEWhen Cyclone Shaheen approached in October 2021, NCEMA told UAE residents to avoid beaches, mountains and low-lying areas, and NCM asked the public to follow its official bulletins.[3]

Before

  • Sign up for official weather alerts and learn that a watch means prepare and a warning means act now.[2]
  • Decide where you would go if told to evacuate, how you would get there and where you would stay.[1]
  • Choose a safe room: a small, windowless interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building.[1]
  • Bring in or tie down outdoor furniture, bins and gas cylinders that wind could throw.[1]
  • Protect windows with storm shutters or pre-cut boards, and trim trees near the house.[1]
  • Pack a three-day grab bag and keep two weeks of supplies at home.[1]
  • Plan to manage without power, water and phone signal for several days.[1]
  • Learn first aid and CPR.[1]

During

  • If told to evacuate, leave straight away with your emergency kit and use official routes.[1]
  • If staying, shelter in your safe room and keep away from windows and glass doors.[1]
  • When you hear thunder, get inside a solid building. Tents, sheds and trees give no protection.[2]
  • Indoors, avoid plugged-in devices and running water during lightning.[2]
  • If driving, pull off the road away from trees and power lines if you cannot reach a building.[2]
  • Head for higher ground before flooding starts, and never enter floodwater.[1]
  • Stay indoors until official forecasts say the danger has passed.[2]

After

  • Return home only when officials say your area is safe.[1]
  • Keep well clear of fallen power lines and report them.[2]
  • Use torches, not candles, during power cuts.[2]
  • Run generators, grills and stoves only outdoors, away from windows, to avoid carbon monoxide.[1]
  • Throw away food that got wet or warm, and do not drink tap water until declared safe.[1]
  • Wear gloves, goggles and boots for clean-up, and never lift heavy debris alone.[1]
  • Pace yourself during clean-up, as overexertion is a real danger.[1]
  • Expect stress, and look after sleep and meals for the whole family.[1]

Watch: 60-second guides

Hurricane coming? What to do

Videos need an internet connection. Some videos mention numbers for other countries: in the UAE call 999 police, 998 ambulance, 997 fire. More on our YouTube channel.

Official sources

  1. American Red Cross: Hurricane Safety
  2. American Red Cross: Thunderstorm Safety
  3. Gulf Today (report of NCEMA and NCM statements, 3 Oct 2021): UAE urges residents to avoid beaches as cyclone Shaheen intensifies

Steps are written in our own words from these pages. If advice from your local authority differs, follow your local authority.

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