The standard course of action in the event of a nuclear meltdown is to shelter indoors, closing all doors and windows and turning off any appliances that pull in air from outside, such as air conditioning. If you are instructed to evacuate, there will be a set path you must follow, leading to a dedicated reception center. Do not attempt to pick people up from schools, hospitals, etc. as they will be following their own emergency procedures.

During a nuclear meltdown, the reactor's fuel reaches its melting point due to coolant failure, overuse, or an external threat such as a fire. If the molten fuel breaches the reactor, it can release massive amounts of radiation into the immediate vicinity, contaminating the area and making it uninhabitable.