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.