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Tornado Safety Tips

Tornadoes are one of nature's most powerful and destructive forces. Here's some advice on how to prepare for a tornado and what to do if you're caught in a twister's path.

Photo: Impending tornado darkens the sky
Approaching tornado colors sky

Safety Tips

• Prepare for tornadoes by gathering emergency supplies including food, water, medications, batteries, flashlights, important documents, road maps, and a full tank of gasoline.

• When a tornado approaches, anyone in its path should take shelter indoors—preferably in a basement or an interior first-floor room or hallway.

• Avoid windows and seek additional protection by getting underneath large, solid pieces of furniture.

• Avoid automobiles and mobile homes which provide almost no protection from tornadoes.

• Those caught outside should lie flat in a depression or on other low ground and wait for the storm to pass.

Related Features

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Inside Tornadoes

Inside a tornado—see the images that have made it possible to calculate tornado wind speeds close to the ground, where they rip through human lives.

Photo: Tornado funnel seen in Manitoba

Photo Gallery: Tornadoes

Hold on tight as we take a closer look at what makes tornadoes twist, from small tightly wound funnels moving across open prairies to the enormous mother ship cloud.

Photo: Doppler On Wheels (DOW) radar truck during storm

Chasing Tornadoes

Follow members of a National Geographic team as they careen into the hearts of storms and take a closer look at tornadoes and the phenomenal forces that drive them.

Earth Topics

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