Earthquake emergency guide: What you should do in the event of a quake

What should you do during an earthquake?

Due to Singapore’s geography, its residents rarely, if ever, experience devastating earthquakes.

That said, many Singaporeans enjoy travelling to earthquake-prone countries such as Japan and Taiwan.

A 7.4 magnitude earthquake struck Hualien, Taiwan earlier this month, during which some Singaporean tourists were affected.

As natural disasters often happen out of the blue, it never hurts to be prepared in case of future emergencies.

Here’s a handy guide for anyone who might need to prepare themselves for an earthquake.

Keep calm and stay where you are if you’re indoors

The difference between possible life and death is to remain calm as this will help you to cope with the situation more effectively, according to the Kaohsiung City Police Department on its website.

If you happen to be in your accommodations at the time of the earthquake, do not attempt to leave the premises.

Instead, take note of the following wherever possible:

• Turn off the electricity and gas to avoid fire
• Open the front door – during an earthquake, the door and doorframe could buckle, which could affect whether the door can open
• Turn off any electrical appliances that might cause a fire; for example, an iron, a toaster, or a TV

It advises that you cover your head with a pillow and find a safe place to hide.

Such places can be under a desk or next to a corner of a wall.

However, you should stay away from the following:

• Windows
• Glass objects
• Ceiling fans and lights
• Other bulky furniture or large objects

These items may fall on you during an earthquake, which can result in injury or death.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), most earthquake-related injuries and deaths are caused by flying or falling objects.

Hence, the CDC warns against standing in a doorway as they do not protect you from these objects. Doorways are also not any stronger than other parts of the house.

In the case that an earthquake happens while you’re in bed, it’s most advisable to stay where you are.

CDC advises to protect the head with a pillow and hold on.

Do not rush for doorways, escalators, and elevators in public spaces

You should also not use an elevator, head to an emergency exit, or rush to an escalator.

This could cause a stampede, or lead to people getting trapped — especially in crowded public areas such as shopping malls and restaurants.

If you’re caught in such places, move away from display shelves with objects that may fall, says CDC.

Wherever possible, take cover and grab something to protect your head and face from falling debris or glass.

This is in line with some experts’ recommendations to “duck, cover, and hold on” during an earthquake.

Essentially, it’s the following:

• Ducking under a table or solidly built piece of furniture, wrapping your arms tightly around your head
• Covering your eyes and other vulnerable parts such as your neck and head
• Holding onto a table leg or something else to keep in place in case of tremors

“If there is no furniture available, experts recommend crouching next to the lower part of a structurally sound column and holding your head in your arms,” Taiwan Panorama added.

Do not head to the lower floors of a building during an earthquake

If you’re indoors on a high floor, you should not attempt to head down to lower levels.

Research by Lyu Jyin-horng, deputy commandant of the International Search and Rescue Association of China, indicates that if you are on one of the upper stories of a building, you should stay where you are.

Since you shouldn’t take an elevator during an earthquake, reaching the first floor would take longer if you are more than 10 stories up.

Due to tremors, you could fall on the way down, or sustain injuries from falling debris in the stairwell. That, or the building itself could collapse before you reach the ground.

Even unluckier — you could make it to the street, only to be struck by roof tiles, signs, or potted plants falling from above. Yes, it can be that bad, according to Mr Lyu.

Steps to take if you’re outdoors during an earthquake

Similarly, you should also remain outdoors if you are outside during an earthquake. Refrain from running into buildings as the lower floors are the most likely to collapse and crush anyone inside.

To minimise your chances of getting hurt, move away from the following structures:

• Buildings
• Utility wires
• Sinkholes
• Fuel and gas lines

It’s important to create as much distance as you can from the outside walls of any building. According to the CDC:

Windows, facades, and architectural details are often the first parts of the building to collapse.

That said, your best bet will be to head to an open area away from trees or anything else that may fall.

Following this, get down low and stay there until the shaking stops.

Meanwhile, those who happen to be in a moving vehicle are strongly advised to remain seated inside for the duration of the earthquake.

The driver should move the vehicle to the road shoulder or kerb — away from over and underpasses, wires, and utility poles.

Guide to surviving an earthquake, wherever you are

Earthquakes may be a distant reality for Singaporeans — unlike the citizens of Japan and Taiwan who are trained in disaster preparedness out of necessity.

Hence, the least we can do is to be well-informed before heading off to travel.

After all, natural disasters can happen when you least expect them, and knowing exactly what to do in such an event might just keep you and your loved ones out of trouble.

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Featured image adapted from Taiwan Presidential Office on Flickr.