EARTHQUAKE PREPERADNESS
RECENT EARTHQUAKES LAST
8 – 30 DAYS
WHAT ARE EARTHQUAKES
• Earthquakes, also called temblors, can be
so tremendously destructive, it’s hard to
imagine they occur by the thousands
every day around the world, usually in the
form of small tremors.
HOW ARE EQS MEASURED?
• Scientists assign a magnitude rating to earthquakes
based on the strength and duration of their seismic
waves. A quake measuring 3 to 5 is considered minor or
light; 5 to 7 is moderate to strong; 7 to 8 is major; and 8
or more is great.
• On average, a magnitude 8 quake strikes somewhere
every year and some 10,000 people die in earthquakes
annually. Collapsing buildings claim by far the majority of
lives, but the destruction is often compounded by mud
slides, fires, floods, or tsunamis. Smaller temblors that
usually occur in the days following a large earthquake
can complicate rescue efforts and cause further death
and destruction.
Earthquake Safety Tips
Keeping Safe
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Earthquakes are a common occurrence, rumbling below Earth's surface thousands of times every
day. But major earthquakes are less common. Here are some things to do to prepare for an
earthquake and what to do once the ground starts shaking.
Safety Tips
Have an earthquake readiness plan.
Consult a professional to learn how to make your home sturdier, such as bolting bookcases to wall
studs, installing strong latches on cupboards, and strapping the water heater to wall studs.
Locate a place in each room of the house that you can go to in case of an earthquake. It should
be a spot where nothing is likely to fall on you.
Keep a supply of canned food, an up-to-date first aid kit, 3 gallons (11.4 liters) of water per person,
dust masks and goggles, and a working battery-operated radio and flashlights.
Know how to turn off your gas and water mains.
If Shaking Begins
Drop down; take cover under a desk or table and hold on.
Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you're sure it's safe to exit.
Stay away from bookcases or furniture that can fall on you.
Stay away from windows. In a high-rise building, expect the fire alarms and sprinklers to go off
during a quake.
If you are in bed, hold on and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow.
If you are outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, and power lines. Drop to the
ground.
If you are in a car, slow down and drive to a clear place. Stay in the car until the shaking stops.
MOST RECENT EARTHQUAKES
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Magnitude 6.5 SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA, INDONESIA March 05, 2010
Magnitude 6.6 OFFSHORE BIO-BIO, CHILE March 05, 2010
Magnitude 8.8 OFFSHORE MAULE, CHILE February 27, 2010
Magnitude 7.0 RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN February 26, 2010
Magnitude 6.9 CHINA-RUSSIA-NORTH KOREA BORDER REGION February 18,
2010
Magnitude 3.8 ILLINOIS February 10, 2010
Magnitude 5.9 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA February 04, 2010
Magnitude 6.2 BOUGAINVILLE REGION, PAPUA NEW GUINEA February 01, 2010
Magnitude 5.9 HAITI REGION January 20, 2010
Magnitude 4.0 OKLAHOMA January 15, 2010
Magnitude 7.0 HAITI REGION January 12, 2010
Magnitude 6.5 OFFSHORE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA January 10, 2010
Magnitude 4.1 SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA January 07, 2010
Magnitude 6.8 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 05, 2010
Magnitude 7.1 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 03, 2010
Magnitude 6.6 SOLOMON ISLANDS January 03, 2010
Q: During an EQ should you head for the
doorway?
• 1: Only if you live in an old, unreinforced
adobe house. In modern homes doorways
are no stronger than any other parts of the
house and usually have doors that will
swing and can injure you. YOU ARE
SAFER PRACTICING THE DUCK,
COVER, AND HOLD under a sturdy piece
of furniture.
Q: What emergency supplies do I need?
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Fire extinguisher
Adequate supplies of medications that you or family members are taking
Crescent and pipe wrenches to turn off gas and water supplies
First-aid kit and handbook
Flashlights with extra bulbs and batteries
Portable radio with extra batteries
Water for each family member for at least two weeks (allow at least 1 gallon
per person per day) and purification tablets or chlorine bleach to purify
drinking water from other sources
Canned and package foods, enough for several days (72 hours) and
MECHANICAL can opener. Extra food for pets if necessary
Camp stove or barbecue to cook on outdoors (store fuel out of the reach of
children)
Waterproof, heavy-duty plastic bags for waste disposal.
Other items you may wish to include:
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gloves, outdoor/winter clothing
waterproof matches and candles- but don't use them if there are gas leaks or spilled
flammable liquids
money, including coins (25 cents) for telephones, because banks and credit cards
may not be usable
a sleeping bag for each member of your family
garbage bags
a portable toilet
rope, heavy tape
a crowbar or pry bar
a gasoline generator and a rated extension cord
earthquake buddies for children (eg: stuffed animal, doll game)
evacuation pack for each person /vehicle pack for each vehicle
PREPARING YOUR HOME
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Secure top-heavy furniture (eg: shelving units) to prevent tipping. Keep heavy items
on lower shelves.
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Fix mirrors and other hanging objects so they won't fall of hooks.
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Locate beds away from chimneys, windows, heavy pictures, etc. Closed curtains will
help keep broken window glass off nearby occupied beds.
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Put anti-skid pads (eg: Velcro) under TVs, VCRs, computers and small appliances.
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Store valuable documents and special small keepsakes in a fire-resistant place.
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Keep sturdy shoes and outdoor clothing handy.
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Tie down your water heater and other appliances that could break gas or water lines if they
topple.
Q: How can I plan ahead for an EQ?
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Make sure each member of your family knows what to do no matter where they are when EQs
occur:
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Establish a mtg place where you can all reunite afterward
Find out about EQ plans developed by children's school or day care
Remember transportation may be disrupted, keep some emergency supplies--food, liquids, and
comfortable shoes, for example--at work
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KNOW where you gas, electric and water main shutoffs are and how to turn them off if there is a
leak or electrical short. Make sure older members of the family can shut off utilities
LOCATE your nearest fire and police stations and emergency medical facility
TALK to your neighbors--how could they help you, or you them after an EQ
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TAKE Red Cross First Aid and CPR Training Course.
extinguishers.
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Make an appointment now with your insurance broker to talk about your earthquake insurance.
Check your coverage... it will affect your loss and financial ability to recover after an earthquake
Talk to your children about what to do if they're at home, at school, if the quake separates your
family. Become familiar with the school's earthquake plan.
Arrange an out-of-the-area contact. Each family member should carry the contact phone number
and address. Have an alternative family rendezvous if you can't get home.
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Train members of your family to use fire
Q: What should I do during an EQ?
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If you are INDOORS--STAY THERE! (Get under a desk or table and hang
on to it, or move into a hallway or get against an inside wall. STAY CLEAR
of windows, fireplaces, and heavy furniture or appliances. GET OUT of the
kitchen, which is a dangerous place (things can fall on you). DON'T run
downstairs or rush outside while the bldg is shaking or while there is danger
of falling and hurting yourself or being hit by falling glass or debris.
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If you are OUTSIDE-- get into the OPEN, away from bldgs, power lines,
chimneys, and anything else that might fall on you.
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If you are DRIVING--stop, but carefully. Move your car as far out of traffic as
possible. DO NOT stop on or under a bridge or overpass or under trees,
light posts, power lines, or signs. STAY INSIDE your car until the shaking
stops. When you RESUME driving watch for breaks in the pavement, fallen
rocks, and bumps in the road at bridge approaches.
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If you are in a MOUNTAINOUS AREA--watch out for falling rock, landslides,
trees, and other debris that could be loosened by quakes.
Q: Things NOT to do during an EQ?
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• 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. They may create a spark that could ignite leaking gas and
cause an explosion and fire
• DO NOT use your telephone, EXCEPT for a medical or fire
emergency. You could tie up the lines needed for emergency
response. If the phone doesn't work send someone for help
• DO NOT expect firefighters, police or paramedics to help you. They
may not be available.
Q: What can I expect in my house when an EQ
occurs? How do I identify it? What can be done?
• 6: The contents of your home may be damaged and can be
dangerous:
• Shaking can make light fixtures fall, refrigerators and other large
items move across the floor, and bookcases and television sets
topple over. IDENTIFY: Look around your house for things that could
fall or move
• Ask yourself if your cupboard doors fly open (allowing dishes to
shatter on the floor)
• Is TV and stereo fastened down and are shelves fastened to wall?
Do you have hanging plants or light fixtures that might fall? Is there
a heavy picture or mirror on the wall over your bed?
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WHAT CAN BE DONE: You can install door latches, braces and
fasteners to fix most of these hazards yourself.
Q: What do I do after an earthquake?
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WEAR STURDY SHOES to avoid injury from broken glass and debris. Expect aftershocks
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CHECK FOR INJURIES (if a person is bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound, use clean
gauze or cloth if available; If a person is not breathing administer CPR; DO NOT attempt to move
seriously injured persons unless they are in further danger of injury; COVER injured persons with
blankets to keep warm; SEEK medical help for serious injuries
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CHECK FOR HAZARDS (Fire hazards--put out fires in your home or neighborhood immediately,
call for help; Gas leaks--shut off main gas valve ONLY if you suspect a leak because of broken
pipes or odor; Damaged electrical wiring--Shut off power at the control box if there is any danger
to house wiring; Downed or damaged utility lines--do not touch downed power lines or any objects
in contact with them;
SPILLS--clean up any spilled medicines, drugs, or other harmful materials such as bleach, lye,
gas;
DOWNED OR DAMAGED CHIMNEYS--Approach with caution--don't use damaged chimney (it
could start fire or let poisonous gases into your house;
FALLEN ITEMS--beware of items tumbling off shelves when you open doors of closets and
cupboards;
CHECK FOOD AND WATER SUPPLIES--Do not eat or drink anything from open containers near
shattered glass; If power is off, plan meals to use up foods that will spoil quickly or frozen foods
(food in the freezer should be good for at least a couple of days; Don't light your kitchen stove if
you suspect a gas leak;
USE BBQ or camp stoves, outdoors only for emergency cooking; If your water is off you can drink
supplies from water heaters, melted ice cubes or canned vegetables (AVOID drinking water from
swimming pools or especially spas--it may have too many chemicals in it to be safe.)
WHERE DO MOST EQ OCCUR
• Some 80 percent of all the planet's earthquakes occur
along the rim of the Pacific Ocean, called the "Ring of
Fire" because of the preponderance of volcanic activity
there as well. Most earthquakes occur at fault zones,
where tectonic plates—giant rock slabs that make up the
Earth's upper layer—collide or slide against each other.
These impacts are usually gradual and unnoticeable on
the surface; however, immense stress can build up
between plates. When this stress is released quickly, it
sends massive vibrations, called seismic waves, often
hundreds of miles through the rock and up to the
surface. Other quakes can occur far from faults zones
when plates are stretched or squeezed.
Q: What are the steps to EQ
safety/awareness?
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• Estimate what EQ of what size are likely to occur
(geology)
• Given the EQ size we then estimate what the
shaking will be (seismology)
• Given the shaking we estimate the response of
different types of buildings (EQ engineering).
Only with all these steps can we take steps as
society to enact bldg. codes and retrofitting
programs to make our community safer.
EARTHQUAKE RATTLES
NERVES
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By Raphael Satter, The Associated Press
LONDON - Experts say there is nothing unusual about the latest spate of earthquakes in Haiti,
Chile and now Turkey, but their devastation illustrates how growing construction along the world's
fault lines can lead to massive casualties.
Seismologists say that although one powerful quake can conceivably raise the risk for others
elsewhere, the recent string of quakes is probably just coincidence.
Bob Holdsworth, an expert in tectonics at Durham University, said Monday that "I can definitely tell
you that the world is not coming to an end."
Bernard Doft, the seismologist for the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, says there is no
direct connection between the lethal quakes that have struck Haiti, Chile and Turkey.
"These events are too far apart to be of direct influence to each other," he said.
Although the Haitian quake occurred along a fault that had seen no major event for 250 years,
both Chile and Turkey are prone to devastating quakes.
"It was by accident that it happened at approximately the same time," he said.
Monday's quake in Turkey had a 6.0 magnitude. On average, there are 134 earthquakes a year
that have a magnitude between a 6.0 and 6.9, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. This year
is off to a fast start with 40 so far - more than in most years for that period of time.
But that's because the 8.8 quake in Chile generated a large number of strong aftershocks, and so
many occurring this early in the year skews the picture, said USGS seismologist Paul Earle.
"Years that have large quakes are likely to be higher in overall seismicity," Earle said. The Chilean
quake was the sixth strongest since 1900.
PHOTOS OF RECENT EARTHQUAKES CHILE
PHOTOS OF DESTRUCTION IN HAITI
PHOTOS OF RECENT EARTHQUAKES –
SEISMIC DESTRUCTION
MORE PHOTOS OF HAITI EQ
OTHER EFFECTS OF EQS
• What is tsunami?
• Tsunami is a Japanese word with the English translation, "harbor
wave." The phenomenon we call tsunami is a series of large waves
of extremely long wavelength and period usually generated by a
violent, impulsive undersea disturbance or activity near the coast or
in the ocean.
• Tsunamis can be generated when the sea floor abruptly deforms
and vertically displaces the overlying water. Tectonic earthquakes
are a particular kind of earthquakes that are associated with the
earth's crustal deformation; when these earthquakes occur beneath
the sea, the water above the deformed area is displaced from its
equilibrium position. Waves are formed as the displaced water
mass, which acts under the influence of gravity, attempts to regain
its equilibrium. When large areas of the sea floor elevate or subside,
a tsunami can be created.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
• Loss of life can be avoided through emergency
planning, education, and the construction of
buildings that sway rather than break under the
stress of an earthquake.
• You can't prevent an earthquake. But you can:
be prepared to avoid injury
be prepared to minimize damage to your home
be prepared to survive afterwards for at least
72 hours without help.
Your emergency supplies
• Be prepared to be on your own without
help for 72 hours or more--- at home, in
your car, at work. Assemble these
emergency supplies and keep them in
your emergency kit, stored in a secure
place, ideally accessible from outside
WANT TO DO MORE?
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Now that you've taken care of the basics, you may want to take additional steps to protect
yourself and others. Remember- you may be on your own for 72 hours or more. What you do will
depend on your particular situation. You could:
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Volunteer any special skills you have to your Municipal Emergency Program Co-ordinator.
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Involve your neighborhood in earthquake preparedness... by helping elderly neighbors to
prepare their homes, by agreeing to check on each other after an earthquake and to care for
pets.
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Plan for special needs for infants, the elderly and the handicapped, in case pharmacies and
other stores are closed for several days. If your family includes people with impaired mobility,
hearing or sight, see the list of useful contacts at the end of this document to get special
preparedness details for them. If you depend on electric power for life support or a wheelchair,
you may wish to have a small generator with extra fuel handy.
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Review the supplies that you would need to be self-sufficient and comfortable for at least 72
hours. In addition to basics, there are many items such as plastic sheets or dust masks that you
may want to acquire, or perhaps games and comfort items for children. Sources of advice are
shown below.
Planning for earthquakes will also help prepare you for many other emergencies.
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Be prepared, not scared.
Still need more information?
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If you require more information, please note your request
on a piece of paper with your name, address and
telephone number, then mail it to:
B.C. Earthquake Information
c/o Insurance Bureau of Canada
510 Burrard Street, Suite 1010
Vancouver, B.C V6C 3A8
Fax: (604) 294-1524
• For further information contact:
Your Local Emergency Program