Essential Earthquake Survival Tips

Essential Earthquake Survival Tips

Earthquakes are one of the most devastating natural disasters out there, and they affect hundreds of thousands of people all around the world each and every year. They also sadly lead to a lot of deaths and in many cases, these deaths and/or injuries can be avoided by gaining a little bit of knowledge on what to do if and when an earthquake strikes.

If you live in an area of the world that is particularly prone to earthquakes (San Francisco perhaps) then I urge you to read on as I’m going to be sharing some essential tips for surviving an earthquake that you might not already know and could even save your life.

 

How to prepare for an earthquake:

A big part of surviving an earthquake is actually making sure that you are prepared for one. There are quite a few ways in which you are able to do this, including the following:

Stock up on emergency supplies: You never know how bad an earthquake is going to be before it strikes to it makes sense to be prepared. You should stock up on anything you could possibly need in preparation for an earthquake including bottled water, emergency supplies of food (tinned foods perhaps), first aid kit (this is essential for any home in an earthquake prone zone), flashlights and a radio if at all possible. You should also consider having spare blankets or warm clothing in your home in case you are trapped too.

Create a safe environment: Creating a safe environment will ensure that you minimise the dangers and damage caused when an earthquake strikes. You should make sure not to place heavy objects such as mirrors on the walls of your home and store other heavy objects safely away too. Any electrical appliances should be kept away from flammable substances too if possible, just to be safe.

 

How to act when an earthquake strikes:

When an earthquake strikes, you will need to act fast and get into a safe position. Of course, you might be indoors or outdoors when an earthquake strikes, so here are a few guidelines.

If you are indoors: Make sure that you stay indoors and do not head outside. You should ideally take cover in a safe room (basement perhaps) or if this isn’t possible, take cover below a desk, table or similar item. You are trying to protect yourself from any falling debris so if possible, you should position yourself near and internal wall too.

If you are outdoors: You should once again try to avoid falling objects. You can do this by moving to an open area if possible. At the very least, you should move away from buildings, power lines and trees.

 

How to act after an earthquake:

Once the earthquake has been and gone, things are far from over. This is when the recovery stage starts and you should first of all check for any injuries that you, or anyone you are with might have sustained (this is where your first aid kit might come in handy). You should also check for damage of the building you are in. If it is badly damaged, you should get out and wait for a safety inspector to approve the building.

Another thing you should be on the lookout for after an earthquake is a gas leak. You can usually hear these or smell them so if you spot one, make sure to report it instantly and open any windows and doors in the house. Unplugging any appliances will help if there is a power cut too as they may be damaged when the power is turned back on.

 

Conclusion:

The most important thing to consider when an earthquake strikes is your own safety and that of those around you. Damage of your property or your possessions should very much be your second priority and something to consider only once the earthquake is over.

 

Bio: David Michaud is a passionate survival expert and owner of Survival-goods.com; a website selling many essential survival products including food storage kits and even and earthquake kit.

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