You have spent hours optimizing your Road Layouts and zoning the perfect suburbs. Then, in the blink of an eye, a tornado tears through downtown, or your nuclear plant turns green and explodes.

Disasters in Theotown are not a question of “if”, but “when”. This guide covers every disaster type and how to disaster-proof your metropolis.

1. Natural Disasters

These are random (unless you manually trigger them in Sandbox mode). You cannot prevent them, only mitigate the damage.

Fires

  • Cause: Random chance, higher in Industrial Zones or during dry weather.
  • Prevention: The only defense is coverage. Ensure every building is inside the blue circle of a Fire Station.
  • Response: If a fire starts and traffic is bad, the truck won’t make it. Manually bulldog the burning building and the ones next to it to create a “firebreak” if the truck is stuck.

Tornadoes

  • Behavior: A swirling funnel that moves randomly across the map, destroying everything it touches.
  • Defense: None.
  • Recovery: Have cash reserves. You will need to click “Rebuild” on every destroyed road and pipe.
  • Tip: If you see it heading for your nuclear plant… pray.

Earthquakes

  • Behavior: Random destruction of buildings and underground pipes.
  • The Hidden Danger: You might rebuild the houses above, but forget the pipes below. This leads to a second wave of “abandonment” because citizens have no water.
  • Action: Always check the underground view after a quake.

2. Man-Made Disasters

These are YOUR fault. But they are also 100% preventable.

Nuclear Meltdown

The most devastating event in the game.

  • Cause: The reactor overheats. This happens if the Water Supply is cut off or if the plant catches fire.
  • Effect: A massive explosion. Permanent radiation zone (green glowing ground) where NOTHING can be built for game-years.
  • Prevention:
    1. Dedicated Water: Never connect your nuclear plant to the city grid. Give it a dedicated Water Pump and Water Tower right next to it.
    2. Fire Safety: Place a Fire Station directly across the street.
    3. Isolation: Build it in a heavy industrial zone, far from homes.

Riots

  • Cause: Happiness drops to 0%. (High taxes, no food, no water).
  • Effect: Citizens burn down their own homes.
  • Solution: Immediately lower taxes to 0% to calm them down. Call in the SWAT team (Police) to disperse the crowds.

Disease Outbreaks

  • Cause: Pollution + Lack of Hospitals.
  • Effect: Massive death waves.
  • Solution: Check your pollution map. If the ground is purple, move the people away.

3. The ISA (Independent State of America) Agency

In the late game, you can build the ISA Headquarters.

  • Function: It is a disaster management agency.
  • Buffs: It can provide passive bonuses that reduce the probability of disasters occurring.
  • Funding: Like the DSA, it requires funding and supplies to operate effectively.

4. Disaster Recovery Fund

A common newbie mistake is spending every single Theon.

  • The Rule: Always keep 100,000 Theons in the bank as an emergency fund.
  • Scenario: A fire destroys your power plant. You have $0. You can’t rebuild it. The power goes out. Everyone leaves. Your tax income hits $0. Game Over.
  • Loans: If you are truly stuck, take a Loan from the bank, but the interest rates are brutal.

Conclusion

A safe city is a profitable city. Don’t skimp on Fire Stations next to your industrial factories, and treat Nuclear Power with the respect it deserves.