Earthquake Guideline: Strong tremors of earthquake were felt in Pakistan and Afghanistan including Delhi NCR last night. Experts say that an earthquake is a sudden event. It cannot be predicted exactly when and where it will come. In such a situation, it is very important to be aware of what you should do to protect yourself when an earthquake occurs. In this article, today we are going to tell what you should do to protect yourself before and after an earthquake.
What to do before an earthquake?
If your house is very old, then definitely identify the possible weaknesses of the house. Arrange things in the house that can fall or break when the ground moves. Keep the bookcase bolted to the wall. Keep the lock of the safe or cupboard. Keep the gas connection especially closed in home appliances. Apart from this, check such things in the house which are hanging at a height, such as fan or chandelier, etc., whether they will fall easily if there is an earthquake.
prepare emergency kit
Make sure to keep an emergency kit. Which should be enough for at least 72 hours. In which water, food and other important things can be supplied. Consider each member of your family, including your pet, when preparing this kit.
What to do when the ground shakes?
If you are inside the house when you feel the tremors of the earthquake, do not rush to get out of the house, nor try to run to other rooms. Because, due to jerks, you can also fall and some object can also fall on you. For this, the National Disaster Management Division (NDMD) of the Ministry of Home Affairs advises to do these three things. The first is ‘Drop’, the second ‘Cover’ and the third ‘Hold’. They are also called the triangle of life during an earthquake. Get out of the house as soon as the tremors stop.
Drop :- Hide under a table or other thing to save yourself. After that get out of there on knees and hands.
Cover :- Cover your head and neck with your hand, so that it can be protected from debris. A common misconception is that doors are the safest during an earthquake, but if your house is very old then it is not right to do so.
Hold :- Stay under that thing until the tremors of the earthquake stop. If you are under a table, hold it with one hand.
What if you are in a wheelchair?
If you are in a wheelchair, bend your head and pelvis into a defensive position.
What if you are outside?
If you are outside the house, stay away from trees, big buildings or buildings and electric wires. Try to stay on some open ground.
How appropriate is it to assemble in the society park?
During an earthquake, it is as safe as possible to stay in an open place. If you are gathering in the society park, then make sure that there is not too much crowd. Doing this can also prove dangerous. If the building is very tall and the park is in between, then it is also dangerous to gather here. Try to stay away from tall buildings.
What to do if you are driving?
If you are driving during an earthquake, immediately stop the vehicle on a bank and stay in the vehicle. If you think it is necessary to get out of the car, then stand at some distance from the car. Bridges, powerlines, buildings or heavy vehicles can harm you, so stay away from them as much as possible.
If you live in a high rise building…
It is safest to stay outside and away from buildings when an earthquake occurs. Passing through any building and its surrounding area during an earthquake can prove to be dangerous. People living in high-rise buildings keep on worrying that if an earthquake strikes, they will not be able to run outside. In such a situation, if you are in the upper floor of the building, do not try to run away from there. Follow the measures mentioned above and get out of the building quickly only after the earthquake stops.
Can use the lift?
Never use a lift during an earthquake. Because the power supply stops when an earthquake occurs. In such a situation, you can also get stuck in the lift for a long time. Apart from this, if the earthquake is of high intensity, then there is also a possibility of the lift car falling down. However, this rarely happens. But, experts advise not to use the lift at the time of earthquake.
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