COVER your head and neck (and your entire body if possible) underneath a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, get down near an interior wall or next to low-lying furniture that won’t fall on you, and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.
Is it safer to be upstairs or downstairs in an earthquake?
In major earthquakes, it is usually safer upstairs than being on ground level . It can be dangerous trying to run hastily downstairs. First of all, calm down and look around before you do anything.
Where should you go in your house during an earthquake?
- Drop down and take cover under a desk or table. ...
- Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to exit.
- Stay away from bookcases and other furniture that can fall on you.
- Stay away from windows and light fixtures.
- If you are in bed – hold on and stay there.
Is it safer outside or inside during an earthquake?
Don’t run outside. Trying to run in an earthquake is dangerous, as the ground is moving and you can easily fall or be injured by debris or glass. Running outside is especially dangerous, as glass, bricks, or other building components may be falling. Again, you are much safer to stay inside and get under a table.
Is it better to be on the top or bottom floor during an earthquake?
In an earthquake, if you are on an upper story of a building, do not try to leave the building during the earthquake . ... Taking cover is the only way to protect from falling debris, the main source of injury in an earthquake. You do not know when you first feel the shaking how large the earthquake will be.
What are three things you should not do during an earthquake?
- DO NOT turn on the gas again if you turned it off; let the gas company do it.
- DO NOT use matches, lighters, camp stoves or barbecues, electrical equipment, appliances UNTIL you are sure there are no gas leaks. ...
- DO NOT use your telephone, EXCEPT for a medical or fire emergency.
Is it safe to stay in bed during an earthquake?
Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures, or furniture. If you’re in bed when the earthquake strikes, stay there . ... If you are under a heavy light fixture or window, move to the nearest safe place like under a desk or in the corner.
Do and don’ts during earthquake?
DROP to the ground ; take COVER by getting under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture; and HOLD ON until the shaking stops. ... Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, (such as lighting fixtures or furniture). Stay in bed if you are there when the earthquake strikes.
Can you hear an earthquake coming?
The low rumbling noise at the beginning is P waves and the S waves’ arrival is the big bang you hear. Peggy Hellweg: Earthquakes do produce sounds, and people do hear them. ... The sounds the seismic sensors recorded are infrasonic, so Hellweg speeded them up so we can hear them.
Will my house collapse in an earthquake?
Fortunately, most of us live in wood-frame houses. In contrast, a brittle structure is unable to deform during an earthquake without collapsing. ... In an earthquake, your wood-frame house might survive , but your chimney, made of brick not reinforced with rebar, might collapse.
What happens if you jump during an earthquake?
The ground would begin to shake, and if the jump happened near the coast, it could trigger a tsunami with 100-feet-tall waves . The shaking could also lead to an earthquake falling in the 4-8 magnitude range.
Is it safer to live on a hill during earthquake?
Houses on steep hillsides are often set on tall, narrow posts or columns, with or without diagonal bracing, and may have walls that “step down” the hill. These structural elements may not be properly braced to withstand earthquakes, leading to significant damage and even collapse during an earthquake.
Does the ground always shake in an earthquake?
The seismic waves shake the earth as they move through it, and when the waves reach the earth’s surface, they shake the ground and anything on it, like our houses and us!
What’s the best floor to be on in an earthquake?
Drop, Cover, and Hold On in an Earthquake
If available, the safest place is under a strong table or desk . If no sturdy object is available, get next to an interior wall with no windows. Finally, HOLD ON to your shelter if you have one, as the temblor will likely involve great shaking.
Is a 4.5 earthquake strong?
Events with magnitudes greater than 4.5 are strong enough to be recorded by a seismograph anywhere in the world , so long as its sensors are not located in the earthquake’s shadow. The following describes the typical effects of earthquakes of various magnitudes near the epicenter. ... Recorded by seismographs.
How long does an earthquake last?
A magnitude Mw 8.0 earthquake with a rupture length of 100 km may take 100/3 or over thirty seconds to rupture. THESE FIGURES ARE ALL APPROXIMATE AND WILL VARY FROM EARTHQUAKE TO EARTHQUAKE, DEPENDING ON THE FOCAL MECHANISM AND STRESS DROP.
