Natural disasters occur suddenly, so people usually do not know how to act, while experts recommend calculated steps when earthquakes occur, for example, especially since making some mistakes may hinder the rescue mission and reduce the possibility of escaping certain death.
According to the Canadian “gerprepared” platform that specializes in emergency and disaster guidance, dealing with earthquakes requires knowing the necessary steps to avoid the worst.
The source explains that there are steps that should be taken in advance, especially in countries that are located in regions known for seismic activity, such as Southeast Asia.
And in the event that someone feels the shaking of the earth and the occurrence of an earthquake around him, he needs the following:
- Stay inside the house, and do not go out, to avoid rubble falling over your head.
- Hide under hard furniture like a table or desk.
- Make sure to protect your head first, or the upper half of the body, to avoid items and objects falling from the ceiling.
- Move wherever they move until you are sure the earthquake is over.
- If you have nothing to hide under, stand straight in front of the wall, with your arms around your head and neck.
- In the event that you are inside a shopping center such as a mall, hurry to the nearest store, and stay away from windows and shelves that have heavy items on them.
- If a person is in a wheelchair because he has special needs, experts advise him to make the chair in a “lock” state so that he does not move, while he should put his hands and arms around the head.
In the meantime, there are proactive steps that can be taken, in anticipation of earthquakes, especially in countries that witness disasters from time to time:
- Ensure that items are firmly installed in the house, such as televisions and shelves, so that they do not fall easily in the event of an earthquake.
- Hurry up to repair any cracks that may appear in a corner of the house, in order to avoid them collapsing quickly in the event of a disaster.
- Do not hang paintings or decorations above the sleeping bed.
- Keep flammable items away from heat sources.
If an earthquake occurs while you are outside, be sure to:
- Stay away from the rubble and the cracked walls so they don’t fall on you at any moment.
- Go to open areas, away from buildings.
- If you are in a crowd, make sure you move away so that they do not step on you, in case they startled and moved, suddenly.
If you were in a car at the time of the earthquake:
- Head towards a safe place, and make sure that you do not obstruct the road, especially since rescue vehicles will come to the place.
- Avoid crossing bridges, tunnels and places that may collapse at any moment.
- Stop the car’s engine in an open area, and stay indoors.
- Put a help request sign on the window if you need to.
- If you are on a bus, stay in your seat until the vehicle has come to a complete stop.
- Make sure to cover your head and neck with the arm, to avoid any things falling.
