If you are in a high-rise building during a major earthquake, the first thing to do is to get under a sturdy table, not to try to run outside.
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A survivor of the earthquake in Sichuan, China in May 2008. Photo Xinhua. |
After the earthquake this morning off the coast of Phan Thiet, which lightly shook many buildings in Vung Tau, Ho Chi Minh City, and nearby provinces, many readers expressed concerns about how to stay safe during an earthquake.
Mr. Le Huy Minh, Deputy Director of the Institute of Geophysics, provided several tips:
During a significant earthquake, when you feel strong shaking and items are jumping, falling, or walls are cracking…
– If you are outside, you should stop, move away from high-rise buildings, power lines, and structures that could collapse.
– If you are in a high-rise building, you should immediately get under a sturdy table (or under a chair or bed) to avoid being injured by falling objects. You should not attempt to run outside at this moment as there is not enough time (earthquakes occur in just a few seconds).
– However, once the strong shaking subsides, you should find a way to move away from the building to avoid potential aftershocks, which could cause the building to collapse or lead to serious injuries.
He also advised that during a major earthquake, people should orderly use the emergency exit stairs to go outside, and not push and shove to escape from buildings when a tremor occurs, as pushing and trampling can cause delays and injuries, even fatalities.
“For minor earthquakes like the one that just occurred in Phan Thiet, causing only light shaking, residents do not need to leave their homes,” Mr. Minh stated.
Here are some recommendations from the U.S. Emergency Management Agency in the event of an earthquake:
If you are indoors
– Get under a sturdy table and wait until the shaking stops. If there is no table nearby, cover your face and head with your arms and sit in a corner of the room; stay away from windows, mirrors, doorways, and anything that might fall. If you are in bed, stay there and protect your head with a pillow.
– Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to go outside;
– Do not use elevators (as elevators may lose power, trapping people inside, and they cannot accommodate many people at once).
If you are outdoors
– Do not run inside; stay away from streetlights or power lines and remain outside until the shaking stops. The greatest danger comes from building entrances and outside walls. Ground shaking rarely causes direct fatalities. Most earthquake casualties result from falling walls, broken glass, and objects falling to the ground.
If you are in a vehicle
– Pull over immediately to a safe location and stay in the vehicle. Avoid parking under or near buildings, trees, bridges, or power lines. Proceed with caution after the shaking stops. Avoid roads, bridges, and slopes that may be damaged by the earthquake.
If you are trapped under rubble
– Do not light matches or lighters; do not move or stir up dust; cover your mouth with a handkerchief or piece of cloth; tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Shouting should be your last resort.
If you are in a crowded supermarket
– Do not rush to the exits. Stay away from shelves containing fragile items.
If you are in a stadium or theater
– Stay seated and protect your head with your hands. Do not move until the shaking stops. If everything seems stable, leave in an orderly fashion.
In 2004, rescue expert Doug Copp (Chief of Rescue for American Rescue Team International) sparked controversy by issuing recommendations that contradicted the safety advice of the American Red Cross. Specifically, Doug Copp argued:
– People who shelter under tables during an earthquake are at a higher risk of death. He proposed the “Triangle of Life” theory, suggesting that people inside buildings should lie down next to sturdy objects like tables, sofas, or beds, because if walls or ceilings collapse onto these objects, they will create voids nearby, forming survival triangles where people can shelter.
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Doug Copp’s “Triangle of Life” theory: He believes that people will survive if they lie next to objects like tables or sofas during an earthquake, rather than crawling under them, as a collapsing ceiling creates triangular voids beside these objects. |
“Next time you see a building collapse on TV, count the ‘triangles’ formed that you can see. They are everywhere. They have the most common shape you will see in collapsed buildings,” he wrote.
– If you cannot escape outside, lie down and curl up in a fetal position next to a sofa or large chair. You can survive in a smaller void.
– If you are in bed at night and an earthquake occurs, simply roll off the bed, curl up, and lie next to it. A safe void will exist near the bed.
– Stay away from doorways and door frames.
– Never enter stairwells. Stairwells sway separately from the main parts of the building. The stairs and the rest of the building continue to collide until the structure of the stairwell fails. Those who enter the stairwell before it collapses will be crushed by the stairs. Even if the building does not collapse, stay away from stairwells.
– Stand deep inside the building; the harder it is to escape. Move towards the outside.
