How much emergency food and water does Chile recommend?

Short answer. SENAPRED, Chile's national disaster agency, asks households to keep basic supplies for 48 to 72 hours ¹. Its Plan Familia Preparada manual recommends a kit that keeps the family self-sufficient for 72 hours, because you may have to evacuate and help may be slow to arrive ². Plan for 2 litres of water per person per day ¹².

How long should your supplies last in Chile?

SENAPRED's kit page states: "En caso de una emergencia, debes tener provisiones básicas para 48-72 horas" ("In an emergency, you should have basic supplies for 48-72 hours") ¹.

The Plan Familia Preparada manual is more precise: "Es recomendable que tu kit te permita ser autosuficiente por 72 horas, ya que en situaciones de emergencia, tal vez tengas que evacuar la vivienda y la ayuda podría demorar" ("Your kit should let you be self-sufficient for 72 hours, since in an emergency you may have to evacuate your home and help could be delayed") ².

The two sources overlap: 72 hours meets both. Our 72-hour kit guide explains the general logic of that duration.

How much water should each person store?

SENAPRED sets water at 2 litres per person per day, and suggests including small bottles, which are easier to carry ¹². Its kit page adds 2 additional litres per day in the extended supplies ¹.

These totals are simple multiplications of SENAPRED's daily figure over 72 hours; they do not include the extra extended-supply water or water for pets. The kit page also lists chlorine or water purification tablets among the extended supplies ¹. For storage and treatment, see our guides on water per person, water storage containers and water purification.

What food does SENAPRED recommend?

Non-perishable food that can be eaten without cooking: canned food, energy bars, dehydrated food and tetra-pak products ¹². Pack a can opener ¹². The extended supplies add cooking utensils (at least 2 pots) and a grill or barbecue ¹. See our food shelf life guide and cooking without power guide.

What else belongs in the basic supplies?

The core list shared by SENAPRED's kit page and manual includes a flashlight or portable light (battery or dynamo), a battery radio with spare batteries, a first aid kit with necessary medicines and prescriptions, cash, copies of house keys, a copy of the family emergency plan, copies of identity documents and property papers in a sealed bag, hand gel, toilet paper, rubbish bags and items for special needs such as nappies, sanitary towels and assistive devices ¹². The full list, line by line, is on our Chile kit page.

Where does the kit fit in the family plan?

The kit is step 7 of SENAPRED's 8-step Plan Familia Preparada: household information, threats, safe zones, a map of the home, roles, a contact directory, the emergency kit and drills ²³. The manual's record in SENAPRED's library is dated 22 July 2024, with a 2024 leaflet and multicultural and Haitian Creole versions ³⁴. Our family plan guide walks through the same steps.

Frequently asked questions

Is it 48 hours or 72 hours in Chile?

SENAPRED's kit page says 48-72 hours; the Plan Familia Preparada manual recommends 72 hours of self-sufficiency ¹². Preparing for 72 hours satisfies both.

Does the water figure include drinking only?

SENAPRED gives 2 litres per person per day without splitting drinking and hygiene, and adds 2 extra litres per day in the extended supplies ¹.

What about pets?

The manual recommends a pet kit with water and high-calorie food, mentioning about 1.5 litres of water for 48 hours, and says the pet kit should cover at least 7 days of self-sufficiency ². See our pets guide.

Should I also keep supplies in the car?

SENAPRED lists a car kit: food that keeps without cooking, bottled water, blankets, a change of clothes, a shovel, a fire extinguisher, plastic bags, flashlights, tools and rubber hose, medicines, wet wipes, maps, a copy of the plan and documents, light signals and a first aid kit ¹².

Sources

1. SENAPRED — Kit de Emergencia — https://senapred.cl/kit-de-emergencia/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. SENAPRED — Manual Plan Familia Preparada: Conoce los 8 pasos de una familia preparada — https://bibliogrd.senapred.gob.cl/bitstream/handle/1671/6482/01_MANUAL%20PLAN%20FAMILIA%20PREPARADA.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. SENAPRED — Familia preparada — https://senapred.cl/familia-preparada/ (accessed 2026-10-20)
4. SENAPRED — Biblioteca GRD — Manual Plan Familia Preparada (repository record, with the 2024 díptico) — https://bibliogrd.senapred.gob.cl/handle/1671/6482 (accessed 2026-10-20)