Each year, thousands of people suffer from the disastrous effects of tornadoes. Of all the tornadoes that swept the US last year, only a small percentage hit major cities or towns. The chances that a tornado will strike a building that you are in are very small, however, and you can greatly reduce the chance of injury by doing a few simple things.    

 
Tornado Safety
In order to escape unhurt from a tornado, you always have to be on the look out! Most deaths and inures happen to people who are unaware. A tornado can form in a matter of minutes and a 'touchdown' can occur aimlessly. This meaning that a tornado is totally unpredictable! You might be seeing the sky so clear and blue...but the next minute, while you are doing something else, the sky may turn creepy and in a matter of seconds, you house might be swept away by a passing tornado!

So, be as alert and watchful as you can. Most deaths and injuries occur to people who were unaware and uninformed. Watch the news or listen to the radio frequently to be alert of the weather situation. Be involve in your community neighborhood watch for any incoming natural dangers. The ill, elderly and children, especially should be refrained from hanging out alone in times of thunderstorms or heavy rain.

Surfing throughout the internet for the latest coverage is also a wise thing to do. As the net offer many quality sites, such as CNN or The Weather Channel o its surfers, people can easily access information through the net without waiting for the news.

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Here are some signs that a tornado might occur:

  • Strong wind
  • Greenish, dark clouds
  • Sounds of wind roaring and tearing through the sky
  • Loud clapping noises from a distance
  • Vibration from the ground
  • A long twisting tunnel circling about aimlessly in the air
  • Debris flying everywhere

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    What to do next?
    -run!
    -take cover underneath strong, thick objects (e.g.. table or bed)
    -report the sighting to the police or other authorities
    -just stay as far as away from it!

    If you are in a car, and you can see a tornado forming or approaching, you should leave the car and take shelter as above. You may think you can escape from the tornado by driving away from it, but you can't know what you may be driving into! There may be dozens of other panicky drivers trying to do the same thing, and this results in traffic jams and maybe even accidents that keep you in the path of the tornado. A tornado can blow a car off a road, pick a car up and hurl it, or tumble a car over and over. Many people have been killed in cars while they were trying to outrun the tornado, and although it is sometimes possible to escape, it is generally not a good idea.


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