What Supplies Should You Stockpile Before a Typhoon? A Complete Checklist
TyphoonSays·防御问答 · Prepared Defense · 更新 at 2026-10-03
In the face of a typhoon threat, the core logic of supply reserves is to 'maintain basic survival' and 'cope with water and power outages.' It is recommended that households stock at least 3 days of basic living supplies; if you live in coastal, low-lying, or flood-prone areas, it is advisable to extend the reserve to 5-7 days. Below is an optimized checklist of essentials and action guide.
Water and Food: High Efficiency and Easy Storage
Water is the resource most likely to be scarce after a disaster. Please reserve drinking water according to the standard of 3 liters per person per day, covering both drinking and simple cleaning needs. In addition to bottled water, you can clean the bathtub in advance or fill large storage buckets with tap water as a backup for non-potable domestic use such as flushing toilets or washing.
Food choices should follow the principles of "no cooking required, resistant to spoilage, and high energy":
- Staple Alternatives: Compressed biscuits, canned goods (meat/fruit), self-heating rice, and instant noodles. Note that self-heating foods require sufficient water for heating.
- Quick Energy Supply: Small-volume, high-calorie snacks such as chocolate, nuts, and energy bars are suitable for replenishing energy during anxiety or high physical exertion.
- Care for Special Groups: Families with infants need to stock enough formula, diapers, and complementary foods; patients with chronic diseases must reserve at least a one-week supply of prescription medications; pet owners should simultaneously reserve pet food and common veterinary medicines.
- Management Tip: Establish a "first-in, first-out" mechanism, regularly check expiration dates, and rotate updates to avoid discovering expired supplies in an emergency.
Energy, Communication, and Information Access: Stay Connected
Typhoons often accompany damage to power facilities, and power outages may last from several hours to several days.
- Lighting System: Prefer headlamps or strong flashlights to free your hands for repair or first aid operations. Be sure to check battery levels and reserve sufficient spare dry batteries. Use candles with caution to prevent fire hazards.
- Communication Assurance: Charge all mobile devices fully before the typhoon arrives and prepare high-capacity power banks. If conditions allow, equip yourself with a hand-crank or solar-powered radio, which is the only reliable channel for receiving government warnings, rescue guidelines, and meteorological information when mobile networks are down.
- Important Document Backup: Scan key documents such as ID cards, household registers, insurance policies, and medical records into electronic versions stored in the cloud, and seal the originals in waterproof bags to prevent damage from water intrusion or loss.
Safety Protection and Home Reinforcement: Prevent Secondary Injuries
In windy and rainy environments, minor injuries can worsen due to difficulties in seeking medical attention, and the risk of falling objects from heights is extremely high.
- First Aid Medical Kit: Includes band-aids, sterile gauze, povidone-iodine, medical tape, painkillers, antidiarrheals, and antihistamines. If needed, ensure that devices such as glucose meters and blood pressure monitors have sufficient power and are functional.
- Personal Protective Equipment: Prepare non-slip rain boots, raincoats (superior to umbrellas for freeing hands), and thick gloves (for clearing broken glass or debris).
- Home Windproof Measures: Retrieve hanging items such as flower pots and clothes racks from balconies; check window and door locks, and apply tape in a "rice" character pattern on glass if necessary to reduce the risk of shattering and splashing; clear floor drains to prevent rainwater backflow.
Please note that regulations regarding school suspensions, work stoppages, and traffic controls during typhoons vary by location. Please strictly refer to local government announcements. Do not blindly go out or visit the seaside to watch tides during warning periods. Real-time typhoon tracks can be queried at TyphoonSays (taifengshuo.com)
This article is original educational content from TyphoonSays. Please refer to the latest official announcements from local governments for policy standards.