Survey reveals which natural disasters scare Americans the most
Despite their anxieties, many Americans said they don’t feel ready for natural disasters.
Severe thunderstorms spawned multiple tornadoes across Nebraska and Minnesota on June 16.
A new nationwide survey highlights America’s deepest weather fears, and the results show striking gaps between the threats people worry about and how prepared they actually feel to face them.
The poll of 2,500 adults, conducted by Talker Research on behalf of Master Lock, found tornadoes ranked as the scariest natural disaster overall (46%), narrowly edging out tsunamis (43%), followed by earthquakes (35%) and hurricanes (33%). Wildfires (30%), flash floods (26%), heat waves and droughts (6%), blizzards (4%) and mudslides (4%) trailed behind.
Extreme Meteorologist Reed Timmer had a close encounter with a tornado that tore through Wray, Colorado, on May 7, 2016. (Photo credit: Reed Timmer)
Regional fears and confidence
The study revealed major regional differences in how Americans think about disasters.
Northeast: Residents reported high confidence in handling more familiar threats like heat waves or droughts (68%) and blizzards (63%). But earthquakes, a newer concern for the region, (does this mean an earthquake is new on the survey list or is it implying that earthquakes in general are a new thing in the Northeast?) left only 42% feeling prepared. Fewer still (38%) said they would be ready for a tornado.
Midwest: Nearly two-thirds (62%) of Midwesterners said they don’t flinch when tornado warnings are issued, which is unsurprising given the region’s history with severe storms. However, their confidence waned when asked about wildfires (33%) and mudslides (27%), hazards less familiar to the area.
Southeast: Respondents here were more likely to identify as “disaster veterans” (19% compared to 14% nationwide), citing repeated experience with hurricanes and tropical storms. One Florida resident explained: “We are always prepared in the season with a stock of extra food and emergency needs.”
West: Earthquakes and wildfires topped the list of fears, with residents more confident about what to do in an earthquake than in a fast-moving wildfire.
Despite frequent exposure to severe weather, many Americans admit they are underprepared. Only 28% have a tornado plan, 22% have one for heat waves, 21% for hurricanes, and 19% for flash floods. Nearly a third (30%) have no disaster plan at all.
Even basic weather literacy is uneven: fewer than half (46%) could correctly explain the difference between a weather watch and a warning.
When severe weather alerts are issued, 21% of respondents said they immediately gather their families and pets and evacuate. Fourteen percent head to a safe area or start securing their home, while 11% grab important items on the way out.
The study also underscored how disasters catch people off guard. Nearly half (47%) said they were unprepared for prolonged power outages, 39% for the sheer destruction, and 36% for the length of time it takes to recover.
It’s been two years since a tornado devastated Rolling Fork, Mississippi. Frank Eason of the Sharkey County Emergency Management shares how the area has been recovering since the disaster.
While preparedness lags, awareness is rising. Four in five Americans (80%) say they are more aware of severe weather than they were a decade ago. More than half (51%) believe extreme weather is becoming more common, and 37% believe storms are growing stronger. Still, 61% agreed it’s harder than ever to be prepared.
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