When a storm is forecast to pass within a hundred kilometers of your location you can do many things to prepare yourself, your family and your friends to avoid the worst effects of the potential disaster. The preparations you make will minimize the impact of the storm and ensure that your life continues as best it can under whatever circumstance arises.

Two things to remember: typhoons and tropical storms are dangerous and can kill; and, most storms will pass within two days.

People die in storms mostly because they do not use common sense. Common sense says: when a storm is approaching, or passing, or has just passed, it is foolish to go outside. You can be killed by: flood waters, landslides, downed electric cables, falling trees and any number of objects that may be hurled by the wind, including coconuts, roofing sheets and other dislodged objects.

Most people venture outside in a storm because they have not prepared themselves to stay indoors. They may want to venture outside in a storm to get food, water, load for mobile phones, to start a generator or to secure things that are being blown around.