Earthquakes

[.:Nightpelt~Togetchi:.]

Have you heard of all the earthquakes going on lately?

Here is a short(ish) guide to help you survive.

There are three kinds of earthquakes:

1. A weak earthquake, this earthquake does nothing more but just rattle the windows, make things like birdcages and picture frames on the wall swing and move.

2. A stronger earthquake can crack the walls, make a few kinds of furniture fall over, picture frames fall, etc.

3. A very strong earthquake can uproot trees, make buildings fall down. Most people die in these earthquakes.

Here is what you can do to prepare:

1. You can make those big fat survival supply kits

For these put:

a. Many little bottles of water

b. First aid kit

c. Food, at least a three day supply (!!!)

d. Torch and spare batteries

e. Hand sanitizer

f. Medications/diapers/inhalers, etc. (Only if you need these things)

g. Filter mask

h. Wrenches/pliers

i. Etc.

2. Or you can make a small survival kit you could have with you when there is an earthquake, when there IS one you could just grab this bag and find somewhere safe.

For one of these put in a little bag-make sure you could carry the bag easily:

a. Food, such as a packet or two of crackers or something.

b. One or two bottles of water

c. Band-Aids and other NECESSARY first aid supplies.

d. Shoes (?), if you have room (shoes that can fit in the bag, i.e. Flip flops, sandals, cloth shoes, etc.) – You don’t want to spend all that time putting your shoes on when there is an earthquake, RIGHT???

e. Passports, if you really need to leave the country, BRING THESE!!!!

f. Hand sanitizer

g. Medications/ inhalers, etc. (Only if you need these things, make sure they fit though)

Another thing you can do is arrange a meeting place with your family, my friend’s family organised that they would meet at the nearest park to their home.

Here is what to do if there is an earthquake:

If you are indoors:

1. Do not Panic!

2. Hide under a table with FOUR sturdy legs, hold on tight and brace for impact. If there isn’t a table or desk found anywhere near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an in a corner of a building

3. Stay AWAY from windows, mirrors CRYSTAL CHANDALIERS, glass furniture or any tall kinds of furniture .

4. Stay in bed, if you are there when the earthquake occurs, hold on tight and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy lamp thing like a CHANDALIER that could fall, if there is, move to the next safe place.

5. Stay under a strong doorframe if you can’t go anywhere else, but make sure the door won’t slam in your face

6. Stay inside until the quake stops and you are certain that it is safe to go outside. Most injuries during earthquakes happen when people are hit by falling objects when entering into or coming out of from buildings.

7. Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fi re alarms may turn on.

8. DO NOT use the elevators.

If you are outdoors:

1. Stay there.

2. Move away from BIG buildings, streetlights, electricity wires and other things that look dangerous.

If you are trapped in the rubble

1. Do not panic

2.Do not light a match.

3. Do not move about or kick up dust.

4. Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing.

5. Tap on a pipe or wall so people that can find you instead of wasting your energy yelling your head off.

BEWARE! If you live near the beach or shore, go as far inland as you can as quickly as you can if you notice signs that a Tsunami will occur

1. A strange/loud sucking/roaring noise coming from the sea.

2. Unusual rise and fall of the ocean

3. Ground shaking near the beach

4. Warnings coming from the radio or other warning systems.

If the earthquake is damaging, the water pipes may be broken:

1. Toilets won’t flush, try use the bush in your garden.

2. Use as less water as you can.

3. If you live in a very dry place where it rarely rains, create a solar still4. If you even lose a few cells of water that is in your body, you can die (I THINK, that is what happens).

5. To last longer without water; try follow the tips below:

a. Don’t talk too much – this uses up saliva

b. Don’t pant

c. Try not to cry

d. Keep yourself cool, or at least don’t sweat!

e. Make sure your movements are slow and regular.

So here is all I know about surviving an earthquake. Hope this Helps!!!!

 

[.:VeganCheeseBurgerFTW:.]

Great advice!

Although none of that is new to me after living through and surviving 2 major earthquakes.

A piece of advice I'll add, is if liquefaction occurs and the street flood with water, mud and possibly sewerage don't drive, I was 7 cars stuck down sink holes in one street! Also never walk where you can't see the surface, if water is covering it, find another way round, never step where you can't see. I almost lost my foot down a crack in the road that way.

We're so well prepared for another one, seriously. I have all my worldly possessions in bags by my door, along with easy to get slip on shoes for if we have to leave suddenly.

We're in the position now where we can't flush our toilet or even use our water because our drains and water pipes are screwed.

A lot of earthquake survival can only be taught once you're actually having to deal with the aftermath of one. What comes after one is a lot harder to deal with than the initial shake.

 

[SugaryGoesRAWR]

Thanks for this Nightpelt!

I mean, in wellington, we might have an earthquake and here we have alot of modern art sculptures and tall buildings. Luckily I'm in the safest part but there's still a chance

 

[.:Nightpelt~Togetchi:.]

Thank you.

There was an earthquake in Japan....Eathquake, AND tsunami. There seems to have an earthquake at least once a week. >.<

My friend also says that the newer houses are more earthquake resistant.

 

[SugaryGoesRAWR]

Aw fudge.

I'm in an 'older' house. D:

 

[.:VeganCheeseBurgerFTW:.]

My friend also says that the newer houses are more earthquake resistant.

Not necessarily. Here, many homes have been destroyed, it's actually more where they are built rather than their age.

An entire suburb of brand new houses just got smashed because the land they were built on wasn't that solid.

My street lost many houses, the newer houses actually got more damage than the older.

My house is about 80 years old and although it is damaged, it's a lot better than the pretty new house down the road which is sitting in 3 pieces.

Don't worry if your house is older, just worry if it's brick, brick houses are the ones that are most likely to get smashed in an earthquake.

 

[so101isfun]

NoOoOoOoOOO! I live in a brick house >_< I'm jacked up if an eathquake comes!

 

[.:Nightpelt~Togetchi:.]

Im moving OUT of my new house in at least 5 weeks INTO an OLD house on the side of a HILL. Meaning - The Top floor is resting on the mountain while the bottom floor is build AGAINST the mountain, what will happen if the hill splits open during and earthquake....

AND one thing that is good to put in your safety kit is maybe a worldly possesion that is not too big that you love VERY MUCH.

 

[.:VeganCheeseBurgerFTW:.]

It depends really on where you live, if it's near any faults, if it's in the 'Ring of Fire' or in a known earthquake prone zone yeah, fair to worry.

Like, where I live is basically on several faults, so bloody many faults. I know there's a small fault line just a block over from my house.

Hills aren't likely to split, they're more likely to have landslips. My city is surrounded by hills and they got away with little to no damage in two major earthquakes, with the exception of one which had a cliff which resulted in a landslide in the second earthquake. It's better to just be prepared for anything rather than live in fear.

As for your brick house, so101isfun, both my neighbours live in brick houses and have less damage than us, it's just with bricks, they tend to crack along the mortar and fall, it depends on the age of the house, how well the house is built, the size of the earthquake and even the bricks used. Being in a brick house is not certain doom, so don't fear! As I said before, have a plan and be prepared for anything, but don't live in fear. Ever since these damned earthquakes, anywhere I go I assess the danger zones and safety zones for if an earthquake occurs. I also suss out where I can get down and under safely and if there's nothing to get under I look for the safest spot where I can drop and protect my neck.

You mentioned the crouch in the corner if there's no table or desk, which is very correct. If there is no corner in a safe distance, find the clearest spot (eg, where nothing is likely to fall and hit you) get into the fetal position (Make sure your head is tucked in between your legs, resist temptation to lift your head and have a look around) and cross your arms over the back of your neck. Better broken arms than a broken neck. Keep this position until it's stopped shaking, even better if you count to 5 after the shaking stops then get out of the position.

Basically protect your head and neck.

What I notice hasn't been mentioned is if you're in a vehicle, regardless of if it's moving or stationary. Twice I have been in the drivers seat during an earthquake.

Once was a 5.1 on top of a parking building, second time was the 6.3 which destroyed our city, up a driveway.

During the first one, I had just begun to back out. Once I realised what was happening, I braked, knocked it into neutral, pulled on the handbrake and turned the car off.

I wasn't moving at a high speed obviously, but it's still a good procedure.

If driving, break, but not too hard, be gentle on the break, if it's a manual, change down gears and once you've stopped, neutral (Or park for auto) , handbrake, car off and as an extra precaution, hold your foot down on the break. When I was up the driveway, the earthquake threw my car back and forward violently but I found having my foot down on the break helped reduce the roll forward and back.

Assess where you've stopped. If anything could fall (Building fell and crushed many cars here) and just brace yourself. Do not attempt to get out of the car.

If the car is stationary and you're in it when it happens, make sure it's all turned off and in neutral (Or park for auto) with the handbrake on. Hold foot on brake.

Again, don't attempt to get out of the car.

One exception, if the car has found itself sinking into liquefaction, which I saw many cars sunk into, it's advisable you get out before the car gets too deep to get out of.

I was talking to an old man who was too scared to get out of his car and had to be rescued because he was no longer able to open the door or climb out the window.

Sorry about the long post, having gone through it a couple of times, I feel like if I can inform others of how to handle it safely and correctly, it's a good thing coming from a bad thing.

I'm happy to answer any questions anyone has, although .:Nightpelt~Togetchi:. did a fantastic job of making a preparing and surviving guide

 

[.:Nightpelt~Togetchi:.]

Thank you for that extra information

BTW. a part of the ring of fire is running through New Zealand. People in Hong Kong have been buying HEAPS of salt according to the news, because they are worried about the radiation from Japan.

There will also be anothre earthquake in Christchurch on the 18th of March that is very big. My friend claims that New Zealand would split in half. I think she's lying.

AND make sure the table is not made of GLASS or has less that four legs.

After an earthquake in China they created these (I forgot their names) things that look like closets that you could hide in during an earthquake. There is a compartment or two for supplies. Even if a steel column fell on it it would not break and if it fell from a few stories high, it still won't break. Do any people have these?

AND an Earthquake may also be a sign that there may be a volcano eruption.

 

[.:VeganCheeseBurgerFTW:.]

The 'Moon man' predicts one for the 20th with 2 days leeway either side so really it's 18th-22nd. I don't believe any of it.

Not a glass table is very wise. Also stay away from mirrors. My friends dad had his arm ripped open by a mirror falling off the wall onto him.

I've never heard of these earthquake closets. I just now make sure the underneath of my desk is tidy at all times. The worst that can come down is the light wood/cardboard type panels from my ceiling and some insulation. We never had a chimney, thank god.

 

[SouthParkPikachu]

I Dont get earthquakes where i live, but we get alot of hurricanes here in nova scotia