Governments across six continents are advising residents to keep emergency supplies at home as concerns grow over extreme weather, cyberattacks, infrastructure failures, and possible conflict. A map published by Newsweek highlights 33 countries that have issued preparedness guidance, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, India, and Brazil. While the reasons differ, the message is similar: households should be ready to manage for several days if essential services are disrupted.

The list includes the US, Canada, and Mexico in North America, while Europe accounts for more than half of the countries: the UK, Ireland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, Switzerland, and Croatia. In Asia, the countries named are Japan, Taiwan, Israel, India, the Philippines, and Singapore. Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Argentina are also included.

The reasons behind the advice vary. Japan is preparing for the possibility of a major earthquake, Nordic and Baltic countries are monitoring security concerns involving Russia, and the UK highlights risks such as severe storms and cyberattacks. The US guidance also comes amid tensions involving Iran. Some countries, including Finland and Sweden, have encouraged household emergency preparedness for years. Japan has advised residents to keep at least three days of food, water, and toiletries, ideally extending supplies to a week.

Most emergency checklists recommend one gallon of water per person per day, non-perishable food, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlights, spare batteries, a first-aid kit, power banks, and a week’s supply of essential medication. The goal isn’t to panic or predict disaster, but to be prepared if normal services suddenly become unavailable. A little preparation today can make a difficult situation much easier for your family.