Natural Disasters

Overview

Natural disasters are extreme weather events that can disrupt daily life in inZOI. Unlike regular weather changes (sunny, cloudy, rainy, snowy), disasters are sudden, severe events that can damage property, harm Zois, ruin crops, cancel scheduled activities, and even cause death. The game features three main types of natural disasters: heavy rain (with flooding and lightning), heatwaves, and yellow dust storms. Some disasters are more frequent in certain cities, while others can occur anywhere.

Natural disasters are part of the game's weather simulation. Players can mitigate financial losses through the insurance system, which provides compensation when disaster strikes.

Disaster types

Heavy rain

Heavy rain is the most dramatic natural disaster in inZOI. When a heavy rain event triggers, several effects occur simultaneously:

• Flooding the ground floods for an extended period, turning streets and low-lying areas into impassable water. Zois cannot use vehicles during heavy rain, forcing them to travel on foot or stay indoors.

• Lightning strikes there is a small but real chance that a Zoi caught outdoors during heavy rain will be struck by lightning. A lightning strike is fatal it is one of the causes of death in the game. This makes heavy rain one of the most dangerous events in inZOI.

• Activity cancellation outdoor scheduled events and activities are automatically canceled during heavy rain.

• Illness Zois who remain outdoors in the rain risk catching a cold, especially if wearing clothing not suited to the conditions. A cold requires a First Aid Kit to treat.

Heavy rain is described as a natural disaster unique to Cahaya, the tropical island city introduced in the Island Getaway update. In Cahaya, heavy rain is a locale-specific natural disaster, meaning it occurs more frequently and with greater intensity than standard rain events in Dowon or Bliss Bay. Other cities experience rain events, but the severe heavy rain disaster with flooding and frequent lightning is particularly associated with Cahaya.

Heatwaves

Heatwaves are periods of extreme high temperature that push the city's climate beyond normal seasonal ranges. During a heatwave:

• Overheating and heatstroke risk when temperatures reach around 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) or higher during a heatwave, Zois spending time outdoors are at risk of overheating. If a Zoi remains in excessive heat for approximately 30 minutes while wearing inappropriate clothing, they can develop heatstroke, which is fatal if not addressed. This is one of the confirmed death types in inZOI.

• Clothing sensitivity Zois wearing heavy or layered clothing during a heatwave become uncomfortable and overheat faster. The game's clothing system automatically adjusts outfits based on temperature (Zois wear their Summer outfit when it gets hot), but during a heatwave the temperature spikes beyond what normal summer clothing can comfortably handle.

• Crop damage heatwaves can damage crops being grown by Zois who practice gardening. Extended heatwaves may destroy a harvest entirely.

Heatwaves can occur in any city and are most common during the summer season.

Yellow dust

Yellow dust storms are airborne particulate events that reduce visibility and harm outdoor activities:

• Crop damage yellow dust is particularly harmful to growing crops, potentially destroying an entire garden's progress.

• Health effects Zois exposed to yellow dust outdoors for extended periods may develop respiratory discomfort or illness.

• Outdoor activity disruption like heavy rain, yellow dust can cancel scheduled outdoor events and make outdoor recreation unpleasant.

Yellow dust events are less common than heavy rain or heatwaves but can be equally disruptive when they occur. They tend to appear during the spring season, mirroring real-world yellow dust patterns in East Asia.

Effects on gameplay

Natural disasters affect virtually every aspect of daily life in inZOI:

• Transportation flooding from heavy rain prevents vehicle use. Zois must walk or stay indoors until the water recedes.

• Scheduled events outdoor gatherings, dates, and work tasks may be canceled. Indoor events generally proceed as normal.

• Crops and gardening heatwaves and yellow dust can destroy crops, wiping out time and resources invested in gardening. Floods from heavy rain can also damage crops.

• Zoi health rain causes colds, heatwaves cause overheating and potentially fatal heatstroke, yellow dust affects respiratory health, and cold weather causes hypothermia. All conditions require a First Aid Kit for treatment.

• Death lightning strikes during heavy rain and prolonged heatstroke are both fatal. These are among the 17 confirmed causes of death in inZOI.

Seasonal patterns

inZOI's four seasons each last 7 in-game days (approximately 11 hours and 12 minutes in real time at the default 96-minute day length). Seasons influence which disasters are more likely:

• Spring yellow dust storms are most common. Moderate rain events increase toward late spring.

• Summer heatwaves peak during summer. Heavy rain and thunderstorms are also frequent, especially in tropical cities like Cahaya.

• Fall the calmest season for natural disasters. Occasional rain events but fewer extremes.

• Winter extreme cold replaces heat-based disasters. While cold weather is not classified as a natural disaster, Zois wearing inadequate clothing can fall ill or even die from hypothermia if exposed to temperatures around 0 degrees C (32 degrees F) for approximately 30 minutes without proper clothing.

Seasons affect the entire city's temperature over a long period. Summer brings higher temperatures while winter delivers colder conditions. Weather can be temporarily adjusted through the Edit City menu's weather tab, but manual changes revert to the default seasonal weather and temperature after one in-game hour.

Weather and clothing

Zois automatically adjust their clothing to reflect the current city temperature. Wearing thicker clothes on colder days and lighter layers on warmer days. If a Zoi wears clothing not suited to the current temperature (such as underdressing in winter or overdressing in summer) they may fall ill and will need a First Aid Kit to recover. During extreme weather events like heatwaves, even the automatic clothing adjustment may not be sufficient, requiring players to monitor their Zois' condition.

First Aid Kits can be purchased and placed in the home, or found at community lots and business properties across the city. To use one, the player places it near the sick Zoi and has them interact with it.

Insurance

The insurance system is the primary financial safety net against natural disasters. Players can purchase policies through the Insurance app on their Zoi's phone or computer.

Natural Disaster insurance

The Natural Disaster insurance policy pays out 1,500 Mu when a household experiences an extreme weather event. Key details:

• Coverage applies to the household, compensating for financial impact of weather-related damage

• Payouts are triggered when a qualifying disaster affects the household

• The premium is an ongoing cost paid at regular intervals

• Coverage applies to heavy rain, heatwaves, and yellow dust events

Other relevant insurance

In addition to Natural Disaster coverage, other insurance types help mitigate disaster-related losses:

• Death insurance costs 100 Meow every three days and pays out 10,000 Meow if a Zoi dies. Relevant for lightning strike fatalities and heatstroke deaths.

• Property insurance covers damage to the household's home and belongings from any cause, including weather damage to appliances and structures.

Purchasing all three types of coverage provides comprehensive protection against the financial consequences of natural disasters.

Preparing for disasters

While natural disasters cannot be prevented, players can take steps to minimize their impact:

• Buy insurance early Natural Disaster and Death insurance should be purchased as soon as the household can afford them. The cost is small compared to potential losses.

• Keep First Aid Kits stocked colds from rain, respiratory issues from yellow dust, and overheating from heatwaves all require treatment with First Aid Kits.

• Dress appropriately while Zois auto-adjust clothing for normal weather, extreme events may require player monitoring. Assign appropriate clothing presets for each season.

• Avoid driving in heavy rain vehicles become unusable during flooding. Plan trips around weather conditions.

• Move Zois indoors when extreme weather hits, immediately move Zois indoors to avoid lightning strikes, heatstroke, or hypothermia.

• Harvest crops early if bad weather is imminent, harvest any mature crops to prevent loss from flooding, heatwaves, or yellow dust.

• Build indoor spaces use Build Mode to ensure the household has indoor recreation options so Zois stay entertained during extended bad weather.

City-specific notes

• Cahaya tropical island climate with the highest frequency of heavy rain events. Lightning risk is elevated, making Natural Disaster insurance particularly valuable here. Heavy rain is classified as a locale-specific disaster unique to Cahaya.

• Dowon temperate climate with standard seasonal weather patterns. All disaster types can occur but heavy rain disasters are less severe than in Cahaya.

• Bliss Bay coastal climate with moderate weather. Rain events are common but generally less intense. Notable for shark-infested and jellyfish-infested swimming areas, which are marine hazards separate from weather disasters.

Community feedback

Since the introduction of the weather system, some players have reported that natural disasters occur too frequently, particularly heavy rain in Cahaya. Players on the official forums have requested improvements to how Zois react to extreme weather, including better autonomous behavior during storms (such as seeking shelter automatically). KRAFTON has acknowledged the feedback, and the v0.5.3 hotfix (January 9, 2026) included gameplay adjustments. Further tuning of disaster frequency and Zoi reactions to weather is expected in future updates.