Tornadoes, Hurricanes & Earthquakes

Tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes are three types of natural disasters that can cause a great deal of damage and impact your lung health.

Learn how each of these events can cause risks to lung health:

Earthquakes

Other than knowing you live in an area prone to earthquakes, there generally isn’t warning that an earthquake is about to occur. After an earthquake it is common to experience less severe aftershocks. These jolting events have the potential to damage or destroy structures that could send harmful pollutants into the air.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes, often accompanied by flooding, pose many potential lung health risks from contaminated standing water. During and after a hurricane, you are at risk of coming into contact with bacteria, mold and toxic substances from damaged buildings that can make you sick.

Tornadoes 

Tornadoes and the accompanying rainfall and flooding can cause major air pollution. This pollution comes from various sources and can be easily seen in the flying dust and dirt. Tornadoes have the power to destroy containers that store toxic pollutants or structures that contain materials such asbestos. Read more about How Tornadoes May Be Affecting Your Air Quality on our blog. 

For each of these disasters, the accompanying rainfall and flooding may also threaten your family or your home. While cleaning up you'll want to protect your family, especially if someone has lung disease, from the many indoor and outdoor air pollutants and other health threats that can make them sick.

Below are some resources that can help.

Preparing for the Threats

10 Tips to Prepare for a Natural Disaster

Now is the time to create an emergency plan to share with your healthcare providers, family and friends.

Download

After the Disaster

  • Returning Home has a list of helpful tips to protect your lung health when you return home after a disaster.
  • More detailed information about common concerns in tornado cleanup can be found at EPA.gov.

For more information on disaster recovery, please contact our Lung HelpLine at 1-800-LUNGUSA.

  • See a chemical or oil spill? Call the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 (24 hours a day every day). Chemicals can give off toxic air pollution, so report them as quickly as possible.
  • More information at Ready.gov can help you prepare for or respond. 
  • Need help recovering? DisasterAssistance.gov helps you to receive disaster assistance.
  • What to do with disaster debris? Don't burn it. This lists ways that work to get rid of debris without adding to the burden to your health. More information is also available in this guide to mold cleanup after disasters.
  • More recovery advice from Environmental Protection Agency
  • American Red Cross provides guidance to help members of your family connect during and after a disaster.
  • Downloadable infographic handout on hurricane preparation available in English and Spanish. https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/infographics/br-hurricanes.htm

Page last updated: March 28, 2023

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