How to behave in an earthquake

Recently, nature has been living according to its own laws, the climate is undergoing changes, and this also threatens with changes in the position of the earth's crust. If earlier seismologists accurately pointed to regions with its increased activity, today everything can radically change. Therefore, it will be useful for each of us to get acquainted with the safety rules for an earthquake.

How to be prepared for an earthquake

If you live in a region prone to earthquakes, you should study the safety instructions in advance and consider all possible options for the course of this natural disaster.

Tips for preparing for an earthquake:

• Think in advance all the possible options for leaving the premises where you work, study, live.
• Mark for yourself places where in case of which it will be possible to wait out the earthquake.
• Conduct “teachings” with your family. Tell us how to behave, where to hide, whom to listen to and what you can’t do.
• Do not store high objects that are large or heavy.
• Do not redevelop the apartment without the approval of higher authorities.
• Do not block the passageways, stairs, elevator platforms with furniture.
• You need to know how to turn off the gas, water and electricity in the rooms.
• Have a first aid kit on hand.
• Keep a flashlight, radio, and spare power sources for them at home.
• If possible, all furniture should be attached to the walls.
• Keep household chemicals and flammable liquids tightly closed in lockers.
• Set the beds in a safe place.
• Hang up first-aid phones and seismic station contacts.
• Watch for reports of possible movements of the earth's crust.
• Watch the animals - they are always the first to feel the approach of an earthquake.
• If you are a particularly sensitive person, then consult a psychologist who will help you learn how to stay calm.

Your family and loved ones will need support in difficult times, so you should be psychologically and physically prepared in advance to make the right decisions and help the victims.

What to carry with you in case of an earthquake

Knowing that you can be overwhelmed by a tremor at any moment, especially if you were warned about it, you need to be prepared for the consequences. Therefore, just in case, carry the following things in your bag:

1. Identification documents, technical passports, medical policy. You will be given first aid without them, but if the data is clogged into the database, it will be easier for relatives to determine your location.
2. Money, car keys and real estate, disinfectant, if you suddenly get hurt or you need to help someone.
3. Flashlight, a bottle of water in case you have to be in the rubble for a long time. The radio, if it is not in the smartphone, painkillers, sterile bandages and dressings, tourniquets.

Items from the first-aid kit can be stored in an accessible place at home and at work, and do not carry with you every time.

What to do if you are in a building during an earthquake

If you feel a sudden push from the bowels of the earth, then the main thing is to remain calm. Usually an earthquake lasts from a few seconds to one minute, so the best choice is to wait it out. If you start rushing from side to side, trying to run, then you will suffer even more from the rubble of the house and the panic of others.

Do not try to get outside, as most people die not inside the houses, but near when debris falls on them. Do not scream, do not push people, otherwise the panic will rise. Lifts and stairs are likely to be crammed with people, so there is no point in following them. Better hide under a table or bed so that falling objects do not hit you.

Very often during earthquakes in houses, electricity is turned off, cracks of collapsing walls, sirens of cars on the street are heard. All this should not unbalance you and make you panic.

If you are outside during an earthquake

In the event that the collapse of the house becomes inevitable, or you are in a house with one or two floors, carefully go out into the street, trying to stay as far away from the collapse places as possible. Go on a wide road, look for a place where there are no tall houses and power lines. If the nearest building begins to crumble, take cover in an arch or doorway of another building.

Do not jump from windows or balconies, injuring your legs, you will not be able to move around and become a victim of bricks and debris. An earthquake can start when you are on the go. If this happens, then look for a place away from large buildings. The most sensible thing is to wait out the jolts in the car.

After the earthquake ceases, a second aftershock may occur. You should also be prepared for it. Usually it appears after a few minutes, but can begin after a day or even a week and cause a new wave of collapse.

If the earthquake is over

The first two things that should be done immediately after the end of the tremors are to help the victims and to extinguish the fires that broke out. After this, you should begin to inspect damaged buildings and rake the rubble.

If you have the opportunity, then take the injured people to the first aid station, but do not go anywhere yourself. Do not start calling relatives and friends - so you overload the telephone line, which is needed by rescuers, doctors and firefighters. Do this when the panic subsides a little.

After the earthquake is over, there is a danger of collapse of buildings, so stay away from them as far as possible. If you see spilled gasoline or other fuel, inform rescuers who arrived. Landslides, avalanches and mud streams are also highly likely. Therefore, watch out for the surroundings.

It is important to support people who are with you at this difficult moment. Suddenly broken person can be dangerous for others in such an environment.

What to do if you or someone else fails

If you find yourself in the wreckage and cannot get out on your own, it remains to not panic and wait for help. Usually rescuers or just kind people find people even under a deep layer of bricks. Inspect carefully what surrounds you, whether there are sharp or other dangerous objects.

If your body is damaged and blood is flowing, try to stop it - hold it with some rag, your clothes or, at worst, with your hand. Give signals that you are here. Call for help or shine something. If there are other victims nearby, then start a conversation with them, so you will calm yourself and them. Excessive panic and body movements can hurt you even more.

In the event that you are on the other side of the blockage, try to disassemble it as soon as possible. Pull stones or debris from above or from the side. Start with large ones, gradually moving to smaller ones. Sometimes it is advisable to make a passage in the wall, which leads to the blockage. As you progress through it you need to strengthen something. It can be beams, boards, reinforcement and other durable objects.

People need to be pulled out extremely carefully, as their arms and legs can be clamped. Start from the head, then release the body and only then the limbs. If any part is badly damaged, lay a tourniquet on it or, in extreme cases, drag it with a cloth.After all the victims have been removed, inspect the blockage for any sources of fire.

How to estimate the strength of an earthquake

Scientists adopted the classification of tremors, which is characterized by points. The more points, the stronger the earthquake and the more damage it will cause.

• 1 point It is fixed only by devices.
• 2 points. You can feel it only if you are in a calm state (lying or sitting);
• 3 points. The walls and windows are shaking slightly;
• 4 points. May wake a sleeping person. The walls are shaking noticeably, the windows are ringing;
• 5 points. Objects are overturned, dishes are breaking;
• 6 points. Plaster or whitewash is cracking, furniture is moving, objects are falling from shelves;
• 7 points. Partitions of walls crack, people find it difficult to stay on their feet, furniture falls;
• 8 points. Man cannot maintain balance; cracks appear in the earth;
• 9 points. Some buildings are completely destroyed, while others have damaged partitions and load-bearing walls.

It is worth noting that most items do not happen more often than once every hundred years, so you should not worry too much and think about the worst.

What do people suffer most from

What to fear in an earthquake:

• panic in the crowd;
• collapse of decorative elements of buildings;
• broken glass;
• heavy furniture;
• damaged wires;
• spilled flammable liquids;
• fires;
• gas leaks.

If you are serious about preparing for a possible earthquake, you can help not only yourself, but also loved ones. Learn all the rules of conduct and remember them, never break the prohibitions, then you will manage to make small victims.

Video: earthquake rules