How to prepare for a cyclone

Cyclones bring destruction, fear and uncertainty. Follow our tips to help your family stay safe and be prepared.

• What is the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon?
• What is a cyclone?
• What is a hurricane?
• What is a typhoon?

Facts about cyclones

What is the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon?

Hurricanes and typhoons are both terms for tropical cyclones. The only difference between them is location.

What is a cyclone?

A cyclone is an extreme weather event that takes place when winds rotate inwards to low atmospheric pressure over warm waters.

What is a hurricane?

A hurricane is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Atlantic Ocean with sustained winds of at least 119 kilometers (74 miles) per hour.

What is a typhoon?

A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that forms in the Pacific Ocean with sustained winds of at least 119 kilometers (74 miles) per hour. 

How to prepare for a tropical cyclone

Talk to your family about cyclones

If you live in an area at risk, explain to your child in an age-appropriate way what these storms are like and how you will do everything you can to keep them safe.

Ready your home

• Bring any outdoor items — like furniture, toys or tools — indoors.
• Check your home for any damage to the ceiling, doors or windows and make repairs as needed.
• If possible, install storm shutters or cover windows with plywood and secure all doors.
• Clear any gutters or drains to prevent water pooling.

Create a plan

Being prepared can help your family stay safe and together in an emergency. If you live in an area at risk, you should review your plan with your family once a year.

• Create an “emergency kit” that includes non-perishable foods, medicines, cash, a first aid kit, flashlight and batteries and water for several days in case you need to leave your area or services are cut off. Include any other necessary items to meet the needs of your family.
• Store any important documents like ID papers high up or in something that can protect against water damage (like a sealable plastic bag) to minimize the risk of damage. Other important items, like school uniforms, can also be stored in plastic bags.
• Check with your child’s school and learn what the school’s plan is in case of a cyclone.
• Speak to any other adults and older children in your household about what evacuation route you will take if needed and a safe place where you can meet or where your designated shelter is located. Make a plan for what to do if you are separated at any point.
• Make sure children have important details memorized or written down such as their address, caregivers’ names and important phone numbers.
• If you are in an area that is likely to flood, find an area where you can get to higher ground.
• Consider any children or other family members with disabilities and how you would support their needs.

What to do during a cyclone

Listen to local authorities

Check your local news or radio station for weather updates and official advice. If you are advised to evacuate, grab your emergency kit and ID papers and do so immediately. If you have not been advised to evacuate, stay calm, stay indoors and away from windows.

Secure your home

If asked to evacuate and you are able to do so safely before leaving, unplug appliances and turn off any utilities like electricity, gas and water.

Reassure your children

Go over your emergency plan with your children and let them know your family is ready and prepared. Explain cyclones to them in an age-appropriate way and encourage them to ask any questions. Let them know that they are safe and you are there to support them.

Update your loved ones

As soon as you are somewhere safe and communication channels are available, make sure to inform your other family members or those close to you.

What to do after a cyclone

Continue to stay informed

Before going outside or returning home, wait for the “all clear” from local authorities to make sure it is safe to do so. Cyclones can cause great damage to buildings and infrastructure like roads and power lines. They also bring heavy rain that can cause flooding and increase the risk of water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid.

Continue to keep your family safe

• Keep everyone away from hanging wires and unsafe structures.
• Keep your children away from any floodwater – it is likely dirty and contaminated.
• Do not allow children to play around debris, as it can potentially injure them.
• Keep yourself and your children in warm, dry clothing as much as you can.
• Make sure any water you are consuming is from a safe source and that food is cooked thoroughly. Do not consume any food that is damaged or may have spoiled due to power outages.
• Make sure you and your children wash your hands before eating and after using the toilet.
• Consult a doctor promptly if any family member shows signs or symptoms of illness.

Clean up safely

Be careful if you need to pump any water from your home. Do it slowly and keep an eye out for hazards such as debris and electrical wires. If you can, dry as much as you can within 24 to 48 hours, keep wet areas well-ventilated and throw away anything that can’t be dried or fixed.

As much as possible, limit your children’s participation in cleaning up. Before children and teens can safely return, toys, clothing and living spaces should be cleaned and disinfected. Discard any belongings if they have been badly contaminated by floodwater.

Comforting your children after a cyclone

Start the conversation and keep it open

• Make sure you provide your child with opportunities to talk about how the cyclone made them feel and encourage them to share any worries or feelings of fear or anxiety.
• Show them that you are listening carefully and care deeply about how they are feeling.
• Offer physical comfort through hugs and closeness.
• Limit exposure to any distressing media coverage.

Provide reassurance

• Let them know that the storm and its aftermath are not permanent and explain to them that they are natural events, and not caused by anything they did.
• Give your children reassuring affection by spending time together and providing lots of extra hugs.

Watch for signs of emotional distress

While many children will seem okay for a month or so following a disaster, the numbness can wear off and they can begin showing symptoms of trauma. Some ongoing anxiety is to be expected, but if it does not stop after a few months or if your child is experiencing more extreme symptoms, such as panic attacks or wanting to harm themselves or others, reach out to your family doctor or mental health professional immediately.

Practice calming exercises together

Deep belly breathing is very helpful and is something you can do together with your older children. If you have a younger child, you could make it into a game: Every hour on the hour, see how you can calm your mind and body down by slowing down your breath.

Try to maintain a routine

Though it may be incredibly difficult, going to bed or eating at the same time will help your child to feel a bit more connected to their life before the cyclone.

*This story is originally published on the UNICEF Myanmar website.

>>Read: How to support your child in an emergency situation
>>Read: How to recognize signs of distress in children

*This story is originally published on the UNICEF Myanmar website.