When Mother Nature Shakes

Earthquake is a natural disaster that occurs when two edges of the tectonic plates move and shift upon each other and causes underground rocks to break at the fault. This sudden phenomenon releases an immense amount of energy and causes seismic waves and vibrations that make the ground to shake. As a result, buildings collapse and heavy items in your house falls down to the floor that causes injuries and properties damages. Although earthquakes can be rare in certain regions of the world, it is still consider very dangerous. No matter how small the shake is, this natural disaster must not be overlook. So in an event of an earthquake, here are some basic safety tips on how to survive the shake.

Tip 1: Prepare Now

It is always good to stock up on survival food supplies and medical kits in case of an emergency. Natural disasters such as an earthquake can strikes so suddenly and so quickly that it is very hard to know when to act and response. So it is recommend to have canned or packaged foods and bottled water be available throughout your house and inside your automobile. Try to have ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables. Avoid using foods that are in glass bottles and jars because it may break during the disaster. Canned foods can be heated indoor with candles or by using fire pits. Packaged foods can range from cereals and protein bars to noodles in a cup or ready-to-eat rice. These supplies can be store in places such as under tables and inside car's trunk or any places that can protect it from damages. As long as you can access it with ease so it is easier to get to.



Tip 2: Stay away from glass and other hazards.

When the shake begins, quickly find an open area that is clear from objects that potentially can falls on you. You may think that these objects will not fall because they are quite sturdy and strong. As the shake progresses, debris falling from the ceiling may causes the the windows to break and shatters everywhere. The sharp glasses can cut through your skin very easily when you are not careful. If you are outside when this occurs, quickly move to an area that has the most empty spaces. Meaning, stay away from tall buildings as it can potentially collapses and crumbles down. Streetlights can falls on your head. And utility wires such as from underground or telephone poles can electricute you. Also be aware that sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on. At any moment in time during the earthquake, these objects can cause many injuries.

Tip 3: drop, duck, and cover

Yes, the classic “drop, duck, and, cover” phrase that many of us were taught in school at a very young age. We were told to crawled under the nearest desks or tables and used our hands to covered our heads. To some people they might think that this is tedious because isn’t better to be outside in an open area before a shake. Of course, being in a clear open space is safest because there will be no objects that can fall on you. But if you cannot evacuate the building on time before the shake whether at work or home, then the quickest and easiest things to do is to find cover under a table. In most cases, a table can help shield objects falling onto your head. But sometimes it is not a good idea because the horizontal roof top is parallel to the ground. Heavy objects can falls perpendicularly onto the table top. Which means that the table is directly absorbing full impacted damage. So a very heavy object can possibly break the table in half. It is wiser to find cover under something that creates a slanted roof above your head. That way when heavy debris starts to fall, the objects will most likely to hit and slide down due to the angle of the roof.

Tip 4: Remain at position and Stay Calm

It is very possible that there will be aftershocks that can be just as bad as the first one. If you are outside stay outside and if you are inside a building remain inside. It is very important that everyone needs to stay where they are and remain calm. This is because someone may be unlucky that debris may start falling from above when they try to go from one location to another. So it is just a better idea to continue to protect yourself until it is absolutely safe to leave.

Tip 5: Try To Survive

If you are stuck and cannot escape then instead of wasting energy in trying to get out, it is better to gather up your food and water supplies first. This is because you do not want to starve yourself. Yes, it is important to seek for help if possible but sometimes help might not come to you as quickly as you want to. While waiting for help, the feeling of worry and fear can thrive hunger. So you must remain calm and turn on the radio or any type of communication devices to search for help. Wait and portion out your foods so you can last as long as possible for the rescuers to come and help you. As for this kind of disaster, local officials and authorities will automatically sent out rescuers to look for survivors. So it is just the matter of time that rescuers will search and find you.

credited sources:

https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes

https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-an-Earthquake

https://urbansurvivalsite.com/tips-survive-earthquake/

http://ucfoodsafety.ucdavis.edu/Emergencies/Food_Safety_Information_for_Earthquakes/

https://westliberty.edu/health-and-safety/emergency-procedures/what-to-do-during-an-earthquake/