They are forced to leave their homes until the area is safe again. Almost yearly, people who live on the Atlantic and Gulf coasts have to evacuate as a precautionary measure when hurricanes threaten inland invasion. Although some evacuations involve a small number of people, some involve a very large number. In 1985 during Hurricane Elena, 1.5 million people were evacuated from the Gulf Coastline area. Being prepared is the best way to not fear an evacuation.
Most communities have in place an evacuation plan.
Specific evacuation procedures will differ by location and by the disaster. Contact your local community heads for local evacuation plans. Keeping emergency supplies in a car is a good idea. In the event of flood, you will probably have time to get your emergency supplies out of the car. Another idea is to put backpacks or suitcases filled with emergency supplies near an exit of your home where they can be easily picked up on your way out.