Map reveals your nearest nuclear fallout shelter if major US cities are bombed
The fear of a nuclear apocalypse has reached a level not seen in decades as leaders in the US, Israel, Iran, and Russia continue to warn about the start of 'all-out war.'
The world has been waiting to see if President Donald Trump will deploy US forces to strike Iran, which has refused to give up its development of a nuclear weapon, a move that could ignite World War III.
For everyday Americans, the only question that may matter in the minutes and seconds before a nuclear weapon strikes the US is where are the nearest fallout shelters.
A nuclear fallout shelter is designed to shield people from radioactive particles, known as fallout, that spread after a nuclear explosion.
Although they're not built to withstand the initial blast, extreme heat, and shockwaves of a nuclear explosion, they can act as a safe room for anyone who lives to see the aftermath.
Using tools like Google Maps and historical records from the Cold War, when most of these shelters were built, doomsday preppers have been able to find where thousands of them may still be standing.
Even after several decades, records show that states like New York, Maryland, Michigan, Texas, and Wisconsin all still have hundreds and possibly thousands of underground facilities labeled as emergency fallout shelters.
A new map has now revealed where Americans can find safety during a nuclear attack, unearthing the locations still listed as fallout shelters throughout the country.
The new fallout shelter map reveals that the vast majority of these radiation bunkers are scattered throughout America's largest cities.
This includes dozens (and possibly hundreds) of basement shelters in cities like Boston, Baltimore, Dallas, Detroit, Memphis, Milwaukee, New York, Oklahoma City, Sacramento, and Washington DC.
Sean Gold, an Air Force veteran and founder of the survival guide website TruePrepper, is one of the experts trying to find all of the fallout shelters that are still viable for Americans to use in the event of a nuclear attack.
He noted that the canned food and medical supplies that were originally put in these bunkers decades ago are likely not there anymore, making it harder for people in 2025 to survive without bringing their own food and water.
As for what makes a good fallout shelter, Gold said that shielding is the most important factor.
Thick walls and a roof made of concrete or steel are necessary to block out the radiation produced by a nuclear explosion.
'The thicker the shielding, the better the protection. Alternatively, several yards of dirt will work, so many shelters are below ground,' Gold explained in an April report.
Fallout shelters also need good ventilation with proper filters to trap radioactive particles in the air.
Those inside will need enough food and clean water to last for weeks or months, an area for waste disposal so you don't contaminate clean supplies, and a comfortable place to sit or sleep.
Additionally, Gold noted that the location of a fallout shelter should be in an area that isn't likely to take a direct hit from a nuclear bomb, and it should also be within a short distance of the people planning to use it.
The US began building fallout shelters at a rapid pace during the 1950s and 1960s, with efforts intensifying around 1961 through the National Fallout Shelter Survey, a project to identify public buildings, including schools, libraries, and basements, as potential shelters.
Bradley Garrett, a cultural geographer and author of the book Bunker: What It Takes to Survive the Apocalypse, has studied the history of how these bunkers have been designed through the years and how well they'd protect you in an emergency.
'They would not be able to take a direct hit,' Garrett told Newsweek in 2022.
'But you could shelter in them for the 14 days that would be necessary after a nuclear attack until the radiation levels fall to a point where it's relatively safe to emerge from the bunker,' he continued.
To this day, residents in large metropolitan areas like New York will still see the fallout shelter symbol (three yellow triangles) on building plaques throughout the city.
This lets the public know there's a nuclear fallout shelter down in the basement and may even provide directions on how to get there and how many people can fit inside.
Thousands of these bunkers were built all around the US during the Cold War. In New York alone, there were reportedly more than 18,000 during the height of nuclear tensions with Russia.
However, they were largely forgotten as the threat of nuclear war faded in the 1980s. Many Cold War-era shelters have been repurposed for storage, parking, or other uses, especially in major cities.
Since the 9/11 terror attacks and Russia's invasion into Ukraine, however, doomsday preppers have been feverishly trying to track down all of these hidden shelters as the threat of global destruction has returned.
Unfortunately, actually accessing a fallout shelter in your community may be harder than it sounds.
There is currently no public list of active shelters available for everyday Americans, since most are now defunct or privately owned by homeowners who built one for themselves in their basements and backyards.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) now advises the public to shelter in place instead of looking for an old fallout shelter.
Federal officials have recommended basements or inner rooms with thick walls to block radiation.
In FEMA's 2023 Nuclear Detonation Planning Guide, they explained that the change in their reasoning focused on practicality, claiming that modern nuclear threats are unpredictable.
FEMA also claimed that maintaining a nationwide shelter network was logistically and financially impossible for the US government.
The agency recommended staying indoors for at least 24 to 48 hours, even though it could take much longer for the fallout to completely clear the area.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
23 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
US strikes Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran warns of ‘everlasting consequences'
The United States has attacked three sites in Iran, inserting itself into Israel's war aimed at destroying the country's nuclear programme in a risky gambit to weaken a long-time foe which has prompted fears of a wider regional conflict. US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites had been 'completely and fully obliterated', in an address to the nation from the White House. There was no independent damage assessment. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but it insisted its nuclear programme will not be stopped. Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said there are no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. It is not clear whether the US will continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a nine-day war with Iran. Mr Trump acted without congressional authorisation, and he warned there will be additional strikes if Tehran retaliates against US forces. 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,' he said. Iran's top diplomat, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, warned in a post on X that the US attacks 'will have everlasting consequences' and that Tehran 'reserves all options' to retaliate. Hours later, Iranian missiles struck areas in northern and central Israel, according to an Israeli rescue service. Initial reports suggested at least 16 people suffered minor injuries and several buildings were damaged. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had 'swiftly neutralised' the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes towards military targets in western Iran. Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Mr Trump and Israeli leaders have argued Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. But US and Israeli officials have said American B-2 stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb that only they have been configured to carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear programme buried deep underground. Mr Trump appears to have made the calculation – at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republicans – that Israel's operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran's nuclear programme, perhaps permanently. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 21, 2025 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Mr Trump said in a post on social media. 'All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordo. All planes are safely on their way home.' Mr Trump later added: 'This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!' Israel announced on Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. The White House and Pentagon did not immediately elaborate on the operation but an update is expected on Sunday morning. But one US official said the attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant that is built deep into a mountain. The weapons are designed to penetrate the ground before exploding. In addition, US submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles, according to another US official. The decision to attack was a risky one for Mr Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism. But he has vowed he will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and he had initially hoped the threat of force would bring the country's leaders to give up its nuclear programme peacefully.
Glasgow Times
23 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
US strikes Iranian nuclear sites and Tehran warns of ‘everlasting consequences'
US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites had been 'completely and fully obliterated', in an address to the nation from the White House. There was no independent damage assessment. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but it insisted its nuclear programme will not be stopped. Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said there are no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. It is not clear whether the US will continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a nine-day war with Iran. Mr Trump acted without congressional authorisation, and he warned there will be additional strikes if Tehran retaliates against US forces. 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,' he said. Iran's top diplomat, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, warned in a post on X that the US attacks 'will have everlasting consequences' and that Tehran 'reserves all options' to retaliate. Hours later, Iranian missiles struck areas in northern and central Israel, according to an Israeli rescue service. Initial reports suggested at least 16 people suffered minor injuries and several buildings were damaged. A satellite image of the Fordo enrichment facility in Iran, taken early this year (Maxar Technologies/AP) Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had 'swiftly neutralised' the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes towards military targets in western Iran. Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Mr Trump and Israeli leaders have argued Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. But US and Israeli officials have said American B-2 stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb that only they have been configured to carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear programme buried deep underground. Mr Trump appears to have made the calculation – at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republicans – that Israel's operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran's nuclear programme, perhaps permanently. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordo, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Mr Trump said in a post on social media. 'All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordo. All planes are safely on their way home.' Mr Trump later added: 'This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!' Israel announced on Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. The White House and Pentagon did not immediately elaborate on the operation but an update is expected on Sunday morning. But one US official said the attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant that is built deep into a mountain. The weapons are designed to penetrate the ground before exploding. In addition, US submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles, according to another US official. The decision to attack was a risky one for Mr Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism. But he has vowed he will not allow Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon and he had initially hoped the threat of force would bring the country's leaders to give up its nuclear programme peacefully.
Scotsman
29 minutes ago
- Scotsman
Starmer calls for negotiations after US attacks Iran's nuclear sites
Getty Images Donald Trump claimed that Iran's key nuclear sites had been 'completely and fully obliterated' Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Sir Keir Starmer has urged Iran to return to negotiations after Donald Trump launched US air strikes on the regime's nuclear facilities. The Prime Minister said Iran's nuclear programme is a 'grave threat' which the US military action would 'alleviate'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad There is understood to have been no UK involvement in the action, which comes after Sir Keir and Foreign Secretary David Lammy had pushed for a diplomatic solution rather than US action which could further destabilise the region. The Prime Minister said: 'Iran's nuclear programme is a grave threat to international security. 'Iran can never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon and the US has taken action to alleviate that threat. 'The situation in the Middle East remains volatile and stability in the region is a priority. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We call on Iran to return to the negotiating table and reach a diplomatic solution to end this crisis.' US President Donald Trump asserted that Iran's key nuclear sites had been 'completely and fully obliterated', in an address to the nation from the White House. There was no independent damage assessment. The Atomic Energy Organisation of Iran confirmed attacks took place on its Fordo, Isfahan and Natanz sites, but it insisted its nuclear programme will not be stopped. Iran and the UN nuclear watchdog said there are no immediate signs of radioactive contamination at the three locations following the strikes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It is not clear whether the US will continue attacking Iran alongside its ally Israel, which has been engaged in a nine-day war with Iran. Mr Trump acted without congressional authorisation, and he warned there will be additional strikes if Tehran retaliates against US forces. 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,' he said. Iran's top diplomat, foreign minister Abbas Araghchi, warned in a post on X that the US attacks 'will have everlasting consequences' and that Tehran 'reserves all options' to retaliate. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Hours later, Iranian missiles struck areas in northern and central Israel, according to an Israeli rescue service. Initial reports suggested at least 16 people suffered minor injuries and several buildings were damaged. Following the Iranian barrage, Israel's military said it had 'swiftly neutralised' the Iranian missile launchers that had fired, and that it had begun a series of strikes towards military targets in western Iran. Iran has maintained its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes only, and US intelligence agencies have assessed that Tehran is not actively pursuing a bomb. However, Mr Trump and Israeli leaders have argued Iran could quickly assemble a nuclear weapon, making it an imminent threat. The decision to directly involve the US in the war comes after more than a week of strikes by Israel that significantly degraded Iran's air defences and offensive missile capabilities, and damaged its nuclear enrichment facilities. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But US and Israeli officials have said American B-2 stealth bombers and the 30,000-pound bunker-buster bomb that only they have been configured to carry offered the best chance of destroying heavily fortified sites connected to the Iranian nuclear programme buried deep underground. Mr Trump appears to have made the calculation – at the prodding of Israeli officials and many Republicans – that Israel's operation had softened the ground and presented a perhaps unparalleled opportunity to set back Iran's nuclear programme, perhaps permanently. 'We have completed our very successful attack on the three Nuclear sites in Iran, including Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan,' Mr Trump said in a post on social media. 'All planes are now outside of Iran air space. A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow. All planes are safely on their way home.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Trump later added: 'This is an HISTORIC MOMENT FOR THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ISRAEL, AND THE WORLD. IRAN MUST NOW AGREE TO END THIS WAR. THANK YOU!' Israel announced on Sunday that it had closed its airspace to both inbound and outbound flights in the wake of the US attacks. The White House and Pentagon did not immediately elaborate on the operation but an update is expected on Sunday morning. But one US official said the attack used bunker-buster bombs on Iran's Fordo nuclear fuel enrichment plant that is built deep into a mountain. The weapons are designed to penetrate the ground before exploding. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In addition, US submarines launched about 30 Tomahawk missiles, according to another US official. The decision to attack was a risky one for Mr Trump, who won the White House partially on the promise of keeping America out of costly foreign conflicts and scoffed at the value of American interventionism.
