Published on April 18, 2023. EST READ TIME: 3 minutes
One of nature’s most frightening and violent phenomena is an earthquake. It can be a frightening experience and can cause terrible damage to life and property. While it is still not possible to predict an earthquake, with the right knowledge and preparation, people can stay safe during an earthquake. This article will guide protective measures to take before, during, and after an earthquake. While having home insurance can offer you the best possible protection against a severe earthquake, knowing the proper earthquake prevention tips during nature’s fury can help protect yourself, your family, and your property.
What Happens in an Earthquake?
The tectonic plates, deep beneath the earth's surface, tend to shift on a regular basis. While most of the time, the movements are not felt on the surface; sometimes, the movement is strong. When it happens, the earth shakes suddenly and rapidly. While some regions are at very high risk of earthquakes, others may not be that prone to earthquakes. It depends on the geographical features of the earth and the region you are staying in. Earthquakes can be quite sudden and come anytime without any warning. Thus, the damage caused due to the earthquake may be fatal. So, not only knowing earthquake prevention tips is a must, but it is also important to teach your family, especially the little ones to ensure their safety. In order to cope with the losses post-earthquake, you may also purchase earthquake insurance immediately.
a. Structural Damage During an Earthquake:
While India is quite prone to earthquakes, investing in earthquake insurance is not very common. There are builders and construction companies who stress the need for earthquake-proof buildings and materials, and people are slowly beginning to understand the importance, but it is through the right home insurance coverage that you can cover the financial losses that you may incur in case there is damage to your home and/ or its contents. People who fall in the seismic zones of the country, such as Jammu, Kashmir, Uttaranchal, Gujrat, Delhi, Maharashtra, etc., should surely consider investing in suitable insurance covers.
b. Differences in Materials:
During an earthquake, when there is a shift in the surface of the earth, the ground can crumble or collapse. Houses made of brick and concrete, though, are stronger than wooden houses, but a wooden house is less likely to collapse at the time of an earthquake. Therefore, people living in earthquake-prone areas should avoid brick walls and foundations, as they may leave the upper part of the building without much support.
What Happens Inside a House?
An earthquake can literally move your house off its foundation or cause it to collapse. Doors can swing wildly, glass windows can shatter, pipes can burst, furniture can topple, gas cylinders can leak, and electric appliances can fall. The bottom line is earthquakes can be catastrophic for your home.
Prevention tips during an earthquake:
The old adage,"Prevention is better than cure", fits completely when it comes to dealing with nature’s fury. It is important that you are prepared beforehand to tackle unforeseen situations like earthquakes. Here are some earthquake prevention tips:
1. Keep an emergency kit handy:
If you live in an earthquake-prone region or anywhere where there are chances of an earthquake, make sure you have a quick and easily accessible emergency kit that contains:
• A battery-run torch
• A radio run on battery
• A well-equipped first-aid kit
• Quick dry food and sealed water
• Matchbox, lighter, and candles
• Water purifier tablets or chlorine tablets
• Knife
• Bottle/can opener
• Basic medicines
• Durable and strong ropes
• Strong shoes
• Cash and ATM cards.
2.
Form a plan with your family:
Natural disasters like earthquakes may occur anytime, and it's not necessary that all your family members will be in one place. Having a community plan is a good idea. You may decide on a common place to meet post-disaster so that even if there is no point of contact, every family member knows where to assemble.
3. Prevention Mantra:
The three mantras of earthquakes may help you save your life: Drop, Cover, Hold on.
a. Drop:
The first step is to come on your knees and hands, just like a crawling baby. It keeps you safe from turbulent falls during earthquakes.
b. Cover:
You need to protect your head and neck as a priority and also try to cover the rest of your body. Try to lie under a table, bed, or high-rise object for this. Cover your head and neck completely with your hands.
c. Hold on:
Stay where you are. Be as firm as possible, and keep your head and neck covered. Try to move if needed gradually.
4. Other tips for earthquake prevention:
1. When inside the house:
If you get caught in an earthquake inside your home, do not rush and run in a panic. Stay where you are, and quickly try to cover yourself under a table or bed or using a pillow. If possible, move away from glass or heavy objects and turn off the stove if in the kitchen. Running may cause further problems.
2. When in a high-rise building:
Even if you get trapped in a high-rise building, find a safe space to hide in your home and do not try to run outside. Try to get help by making noise if you get trapped. Hitting on a metal or similar object may create a high sound.
3. When outdoors:
If you are outside the home, stay outside. Find a place far from buildings, walls, gas pipelines, manholes, electricity wirings, etc. Get to a safe place and lie down until the situation becomes normal.
4. When driving:
In case you get affected by an earthquake while driving, try to stay inside the vehicle. Stop your car immediately and find a safe place to park it. To be safe, there must be no trees, walls, or electricity wires around. You may continue driving to reach a safe place when it stops jerking and jiggling.
5. When in a crowded place/ stadium/ theatre:
Crowds may panic violently during earthquakes, and everyone would want to step out. So, you need to calm down and stay at your place. Drop, cover, and hold on until rescue comes and the situation becomes normal.
What to do if trapped?
In the worst of scenarios, you may get trapped under the havoc of an earthquake despite taking safety measures. If you get trapped and can see debris all around, do not kick and move. You may disturb the load above you, and the situation may get more dangerous. First of all, cover your mouth and nose if possible. Now try to find a sound-creating object nearby and hit it to make noise so the rescue team can hear you. If no such object is available, use shouting or whistling as your last resort. It should be a last resort because shouting will force you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust and debris.
Conclusion
The most important thing people can do to prepare for an earthquake is to develop a plan. This should include familiarising oneself with the hazards in the area and being aware of escape routes from buildings and other structures. People should also identify safe places inside their homes or workplace where they can take cover during an earthquake. You should not panic and follow the basics of earthquake safety measures (Drop, cover, hold on). As earthquakes can cause irreparable damage to both human life and property, having home insurance or insurance for earthquake damages can greatly help. It may not help in earthquake prevention, but it definitely is there as a much-needed financial support.
Disclaimer: The above information is for illustrative purpose only. For more details, please refer to policy wordings and prospectus before concluding the sales.
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