Earthquakes can occur anywhere. These natural disasters can strike without any warning. Seismic activities around the world can wreak havoc, causing loss of lives and properties. So, whenever feel the earth suddenly shaking, respond immediately. What you do in a few seconds can make the difference between life and death. Try to follow these earthquake safety tips to keep yourself and others around you safe.
What You Should Do Before an Earthquake
These precautionary measures can increase your chances of survival.
- Try to explain earthquake safety procedures to your family. Having elderly members and children in your home can make things tricky. Discuss with them the entire layout of your home. Tell them about the best possible way out of your living space from where they can exit safely and unharmed. Try to come up with an evacuation plan for an emergency situation.
- Find a solid piece of furniture like a table or a desk that can be used to take shelter. In case, you feel the ground shaking, crawl under the furniture. This can be a life-saving technique that we have mentioned here in our guide on how to prepare for an earthquake.
- You need to be very careful if you have heavy furniture in your home. Large items like bookcases and wardrobes should be attached to walls for support with the help of bolts or special frames. You need to do the same thing to protect your electronic appliances, from the damage and keep yourself safe from getting injured.
- Your emergency supply kit should be regularly maintained and ready all the time. From medical supplies to instant food items, you need to have every essential item in your earthquake emergency kit. It is also one of the best earthquake safety tips. Also, make sure to always keep a battery-operated flashlight and of course some extra batteries with you. You may also need a fire extinguisher to stay protected as you may never know when a small spark could turn into a full-fledged inferno.
- If you see any structure issues around your house, you need to fix them right away. It is way easier for weaken walls and ceilings to collapse in natural disasters resulting in fatalities.
- You should memorize all your important contact numbers in case you lose your mobile phone during the disaster. It is also a very useful tip to prepare yourself for an earthquake.
What You Can Do During an Earthquake
Here’s how you can save your and others’ life when an earthquake strike.
- You should not be panicking at all. Keep yourself calm and think of the ways you can keep yourself and others around you protected.
- Drop yourself and keep your hands and knees on the ground. Never ever walk around or run during an earthquake. People who use a wheelchair should immediately lock their wheels The best way to stay safe from the falling debris is to lean over. Protect your head with your shoulders and arms.
- One of the most useful earthquake safety measures is to stay put. If you are hiding under a desk, don’t move from there until you are sure the ground has stopped shaking and the earthquake has passed.
- Stay away from all the windows around your home. The glass on windows can shatter anytime due to the strong shockwave and jolts of the earthquake. If you have your electric or gas appliances running turn them off right away and disconnect them from the main supply till the situation gets normal.
- Stairs are the safest option in an earthquake emergency situation. No matter how tall your building is, never use an elevator during the earthquake. It is way too risky. Elevators can malfunction, stop working and even fall, in the worst-case scenario. Staying close to the stairs can even save you from falling debris. It is one of the best tips to stay safe during an earthquake.
What You Should Do After an Earthquake
The danger may still lurk even minutes after the earthquake. Here are some of the best post-earthquake tips you should follow and keep in mind to ensure everyone’s safety.
- Your area may experience aftershocks after the earthquake, so make sure you are prepared to deal with the tremors.
- If there’s someone’s injured in your family or neighborhood, help them out. Provide them with first-aid treatment if possible.
- Call 911 or any other emergency number from where you can get quick help.
- Turn on your radio or television, if these devices are still working, to get the latest updates and instructions from the concerned disaster management authorities.
These were some of the best earthquake survival tips. If you found this post informative, share it with your friends and family. We hope the information we have shared above will help you stay safe during an earthquake. For more interesting updates, stay tuned to Openiun.com.
