During · 2 min read
Missile or air-raid alert — what to do
If your phone, sirens or radio warn of an incoming missile or air attack: where to take cover in the first minutes.
Draft: written from the official sources below, awaiting human review.
Stay calm and act immediately
A missile can arrive in less than 10 minutes. When an alert comes by phone, siren, TV or radio, act straight away. Your country page shows how alerts reach you.
If you are outdoors
- Go into the nearest sturdy building or underground. Concrete buildings, underground shopping areas and subway stations are best, but any building or underground space is better than staying outside.
- No building nearby? Hide behind anything that gives cover, or lie flat on the ground and cover your head.
If you are indoors
- Move away from windows, or go to a room without windows.
If a missile has hit nearby
- Outdoors: cover your mouth and nose with a cloth, move away from the impact area, and take shelter in a well-sealed building or move upwind.
- Indoors: switch off ventilation, close windows and seal gaps to make the room as airtight as you can.
Afterwards
Keep following official instructions on TV, radio and phone alerts. Do not go outside to look or film. If the alert involved radiation, see Nuclear emergency — what to do during.
Advice may differ slightly by country. Always follow your own authorities’ instructions first.
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