During a cyclone, the priority is to stay safe indoors, follow official warnings, and be prepared to evacuate quickly if authorities instruct you to do so. Secure your home before the winds intensify, keep an emergency kit ready, and remain calm and informed throughout the event.

Before the cyclone

Getting ready early greatly reduces risk. Focus on securing your space, planning where you’ll go, and having supplies if you are cut off for a while.

  • Check and repair your house, especially roofs, tiles, doors, and windows so they can withstand strong winds.
  • Remove weak tree branches and anchor or bring inside loose items like garden furniture, tools, bricks, and tin sheets that can become dangerous projectiles.
  • Store extra drinking water in covered containers and keep food that can be eaten without cooking (canned food, dry snacks, baby food, etc.).
  • Prepare an emergency kit with: first aid, regular medicines, flashlights, batteries, a battery‑powered radio, important documents in waterproof bags, some cash, and phone chargers or power banks.
  • Identify the nearest cyclone shelter or safe building on higher ground, and plan your evacuation route in case you must leave quickly.
  • Keep a list of emergency contacts (family, neighbors, local emergency numbers) and share your plan with them in advance.

When warnings are issued

Once cyclone alerts start, your actions should shift to tracking updates and final preparations.

  • Listen regularly to trusted weather updates and official advisories on radio, TV, or government apps, and ignore rumors or unofficial social media posts.
  • Bring pets and livestock to safer, higher ground if possible, and arrange fodder or supplies for them.
  • Board up or tape glass windows and provide extra support to outside doors to reduce shattering and wind damage.
  • Move valuables and electronics to upper floors or higher shelves to protect from flooding.
  • Fill vehicle fuel tanks in case you need to evacuate or if fuel is hard to access after the storm.

During the cyclone

During the cyclone itself, staying indoors and away from danger zones is crucial.

  • Stay inside, close and secure all doors and windows, and shelter in the strongest, most interior room of the house, away from glass.
  • Keep your emergency kit, radio, and phone with you, and switch off electrical mains if there is flooding risk or if authorities advise it.
  • Do not go outside to “check” on the storm, and never venture near the sea, rivers, or low‑lying areas because of storm surge and flash flooding risk.
  • Be aware that the eye of the cyclone can bring a sudden calm followed by violent winds from the opposite direction, so do not assume it is over until authorities confirm it.
  • Avoid using open flames around flammable materials and stay well away from loose wires, poles, or metal fences.

If you are told to evacuate

Evacuation orders are issued to protect life, even if it feels hard to leave your belongings.

  • Leave early, before roads are flooded or blocked, and follow the specified routes to designated shelters or safe buildings.
  • Take only essentials: documents, medicines, money, water, some food, clothes, and basic supplies for babies, elderly family members, and pets.
  • At the shelter, follow the instructions of the person in charge, stay with your group or family, and remain there until you are told it is safe to go home.

After the cyclone

When the winds calm, there can still be hidden dangers around your home and community.

  • Wait for official “all clear” announcements before going outside or returning from shelters.
  • Avoid floodwater where possible; it may be contaminated, hide sharp debris, or conceal open manholes.
  • Do not touch or step near fallen power lines, broken poles, or electric cables; report them to authorities immediately.
  • Check your home carefully for structural damage, gas leaks, and electrical hazards before turning power back on.
  • Look in on neighbors, especially elderly or disabled people, and coordinate with local relief and health services if anyone is injured or unwell.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.