What to do during an earthquake

Let’s pray for those who were affected by the earthquake that shook the Visayas and Mindanao yesterday.

Renato Solidum, the head of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said more aftershocks could happen in the coming weeks.

I’m reprinting here guidelines from the “Disaster Preparedness and First Aid” handbook prepared by the Senate Committee on Climate Change chaired by Sen. Loren Legarda. The guidelines were provided by the Phivolcs.

During earthquakes:
• Stay calm.
• If you are inside a structurally sound building, stay there.
• Protect your body from falling debris by staying in stronger parts of the building like near columns and beams, outside the elevator shaft, or by getting under a study desk or table.
Remember Duck, Cover, and Hold (Duck and cover under a table, hold on to the legs.)
• Stay away from glass windows, shelves, cabinets and other heavy objects.
• Beware of falling objects. Be alert and keep your eyes open.
• If you are outside, move to an open area.
• Get away from power lines, posts, walls and other structures that may fall or collapse.
• Stay away from buildings with glass panes.
• If you are on a mountain or near a steep hill slope, move away from steep escarpments which may be affected by landslide.
• When driving a vehicle, pull to the side of the road and stop. Do not attempt to cross bridges or overpasses, which may have been damaged.
• If you are near the shore and you feel an earthquake strong enough to make standing difficult, it is always safest to assume that a tsunami might be triggered. Move quickly to higher ground.

Phivolcs said the possibility of tsunami as an aftermath of this earthquake is nil because the epicenter was on land. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii also ruled out threat of a Pacific-wide tsunami after the quake.

What to do after the quake:
• Once the shaking stops, take the fastest and safest way out of the building.

Do not rush to the ext. Get out calmly in an orderly manner. Bring your emergency kit.
Do not use elevators; use the stairs. Go to an open area or designated evacuation area. Check yourself and others for injuries.

• Unless you need emergency help, do not use telephone or cellphones to call relatives and friends. Disaster prevention authorities may need the line for emergency communication. Do not use your car and drive around areas of damage, as rescue and relief operations need the roads for mobility.
• Help reduce the number of casualties from the earthquake. Do not enter partially damaged buildings; strong aftershocks may cause these to collapse. Gather information and disaster prevention instructions from battery-operated radios. Obey public safety precaution,
• Check your surroundings.
• Clean up chemical spills, toxic and flammable materials to avoid any chain of unwanted events.
• Check for fire and, if any, have it controlled.
• Check your water and electrical lines for defects; if any damage is suspected turn the system off through the main valve or switch.
• If you must evacuate your residence, leave a message stating where you are going.
Pray, pray.