Earthquakes can lead to extremely serious consequences. This serves as a special warning during an earthquake, as not everyone among us has experience dealing with such situations.
Even if you live in a safe area, it doesn’t mean you will never face this danger. Therefore, equipping yourself with survival skills in the event of an earthquake is truly essential for everyone.
Below are recommendations from experts at the Red Cross and the United Nations to help you know how to keep yourself safe and respond promptly during an earthquake.
During an earthquake, do not stand under a doorway.
What Not to Do
- Do not stand under a doorway. This is an extremely dangerous mistake as the door frame can fall on your head.
- Do not run outside if you are on a floor above the ground level because both elevators and stairs are extremely dangerous during an earthquake.
Lie down on the floor, preferably near a long bench or a bed
- If you feel the ground shaking, quickly move to a wall near the outside, as you can be quickly found if the building collapses.
- Ensure that there is nothing around you that could fall, such as light fixtures or wall cabinets.
- Lie down on the floor, preferably near a long bench or a bed, but do not lie underneath them! If a wall cabinet or ceiling falls, the bed will absorb the impact, and you will be safe. Additionally, another effective method is to lie near a wall.
- Curl up and use your arms to protect your head.
- Lie down on the floor, preferably near a long bench or a bed, and cover your head to protect it.
Should You Hide Under a Table?
This hypothesis is quite controversial because the most common danger during an earthquake is falling objects. If you know beforehand that the earthquake will not be strong enough to cause a building collapse, hiding under a table is a safe solution. However, in more severe earthquakes, when walls and ceilings collapse, a table could crush you!
Is Running Outside Helpful?
You will have about 10-20 seconds from the first tremor to a collapse (if it happens). This is a perfect opportunity if you use this time to escape the building. But don’t do this if:
- You are on a floor above the ground level, as mentioned above.
- There is a crowd at the emergency exit.
- You suspect the building will collapse in less than 10 seconds; in this case, the risk of injury when trying to escape is higher than staying inside.
You need to take the time to assess the situation rather than hesitating to run outside immediately. In emergencies, decision-making becomes much more difficult.
If You Are Outside, Choose the Most Open Space Possible
You should absolutely not run back inside, avoid lamp posts or power lines, and stay outdoors until the ground stops shaking. The greatest danger comes from the entrances of buildings and outside walls. Ground shaking rarely leads directly to fatalities. Most earthquake-related injuries arise from falling walls, broken glass, and objects hitting the ground.
This way, debris from buildings and power lines will not fall on you. If you are on a bridge or staircase, quickly leave them immediately.
If you are driving or on public transport: If you are the driver, you need to stop the vehicle immediately. Quickly pull over to a safe location. Absolutely do not park under tall buildings, power poles, or large trees… If you are a passenger, hold on tightly to secure points in the vehicle. Do not move around too much. Evacuate based on the guidance of the driver or crew.
If you are at the beach: Move to higher ground, run inland, and stay as far away from the sea as possible. This is because earthquakes often trigger tsunamis. Avoid locations near hillsides, steep rocks, or coastal cliffs, as landslides are likely to occur during earthquakes.
