How to stay safe during an earthquake: Dos and Don'ts

As an earthquake jolts parts of India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, here’s all you need to know about what needs to be done and what needs to be avoided in such a situation.

India’s National Disaster Management Authority says it is important to keep a disaster emergency kit and an emergency communication plan ready if you live in an earthquake-prone area.

According to NDMA, here’s what you need to do during an earthquake.

Firstly, it’s important to know that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks and a larger earthquake might occur.

If you are indoors

• Drop on the ground & take cover by getting under a sturdy table or another piece of furniture and wait until the shaking stops. If there is no table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.
• Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and protect your head with a pillow. If you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall, move to the nearest safe place.
• Stay inside until the tremors stop and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location.

If you are outdoors

• Move away from buildings, trees, streetlights, and utility wires.
• If you are in an open space, stay there until the tremors stop.

What you shouldn’t do

• Be near places or objects where glass could shatter like windows, mirrors, and photo frames.
• Be near places where heavy bookcases or other heavy furniture could fall over.
• Stay near buildings, trees, telephone and electrical lines, flyovers and bridges if you are in an open space.

With inputs from NDMA

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