The Philippine Online Chronicles

The world is shaking. You blink your eyes, unsure whether it’s a headache from using the computer too long or if it’s last night’s hangover sneaking in on you. The floor is shaking, and so is the table before you. You freeze when you realize it’s not your vision that’s causing the tremors. Earthquake, you think. What’s the first thing you do?

Earthquakes often occur without warning. The tremors are caused by a sudden release of energy from the earth’s crust. There are ways to prepare for an earthquake. Some examples are using prediction tools and techniques, ensuring buildings are earthquake-engineered, and studying which places can get struck most via seismic hazard maps. The best tool however is one’s own awareness. While the sudden rumbling of the earth could naturally make you panic, it is highly important to remind yourself of the basic things that will keep you safe during an earthquake.

Your Earthquake move: Fight or flight?

If you answered "(a) Freeze and stay put", you could get hurt by surrounding objects that may topple over and fall on you. If you answered "(c) Run out of the building", you are exposing yourself to even more harm. Not only could you lose your balance while the earth violently moves from side to side; objects that could unexpectedly fall or fly off a shelf can injure you. Most earthquake-related injuries are caused by flying glass, falling objects, collapsing walls, or moving while the ground is shaking. Movement puts you at risk. So if you can’t freeze and stay put or run away, what’s the best thing to do? Drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy piece of furniture, e.g. a table, and hold on till the earthquake ceases.

Dropping down on your hands and knees will protect you from being knocked off your feet. That’s one less injury to worry about. Taking cover under sturdy furniture and holding on will protect you from flying or falling objects, as well as being thrown off by strong tremors.

What if there’s no sturdy furniture for you to duck under? Drop to the ground and protect yourself by covering your head and neck with your arms.

If you’re caught indoors during an earthquake, first things first: look up. If there’s a heavy object hanging over you, get out from under there! Move quickly to the nearest place that can protect you, then drop, take cover and hold on.

Stay away from anything that can break or fall, like windows, ceiling lights and hanging fixtures. Stay inside until the earthquake stops. Remember that aftershocks, smaller earthquakes that occur after a large earthquake, could also hurt you. If it’s safe to exit, do not use the elevator.

What if you were outdoors and felt the earth move under your feet? First things first: Look up. Quickly move away from buildings and tall electric posts. These structures can easily collapse on anyone staying close by. Do this whether you are on your feet or in a moving vehicle. While you should stop a moving vehicle immediately, don’t park by tall structures like trees, power lines, bridges and overpasses.

Safety in Doorways and the Triangle of Life: Fact or Fable?

One popular advice on earthquake preparedness is to stand in a doorway during an earthquake. While this is true of homes from much older years, it is terribly misleading nowadays. In the old days, homes were made from mud, adobe or brick. The doorway was the most structurally sound part of the house. When an earthquake would hit, the rest of the house would crumble save for the door frame, which would be left standing. Today, a modern house’s doorways aren’t stronger than any other part of the house. It is still better then to duck under sturdy furniture today, instead of holding on to the door.

The Triangle of Life’s theory counteracts the “drop, cover and hold on” advice. Doug Copp advocates that the safest place to be during an earthquake is to crouch by the side of structures that will provide a void or space that could protect one from harm in case of a “pancake collapse.” The theoretically protective void is described as the Triangle of Life. This theory is questioned by a multitude of credible organizations, including the United States Geological Survey and the American Red Cross. For example, the Triangle of Life’s theory states that people can anticipate how a building can fall, and therefore calculate the void spaces that can protect them. This is untrue according to the Safety Building Alliance (SBA), as there is no telling right away the direction of a quake, plus each building’s structure is different. Another advice from the Triangle of Life is to get out of your car during a quake and lay down next to it. This will protect you from falling freeways. This is dangerous, according to the SBA, as the car can be moved by the earthquake and crush those next to it. Snopes, a fact-checking website, has labeled the Triangle of Life theory not as true or false, but a “mixture.”

PHIVOLCS (Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology) recommends the “drop, cover and hold on” approach. In its Earthquake Preparedness Guide, it stays that when you are indoors: (a)duck under a sturdy desk or table and hold on to it, and protect head and arms, (b) stay away from glass windows, shelves and heavy objects, (c) be alert! And if you’re outside, move to an open area. Immediately (a) stay away from trees, utility lines, posts, and concrete structurse, (b) move away from slopes that may be affected by landslides, (c) move quickly to higher ground when at a sea shore, in case a tsunami is triggered by the earthquake.

Earthquakes in the Philippines

The Philippines is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, an area encircling the Pacific Ocean where earthquake and volcanic eruptions frequently occur. One of the worst disasters happened on July 16, 1990, when a quake measuring 7.7 on the Richter scale hit Luzon.

As the country has seen its share of terrible earthquake calamities, earthquake preparedness is highly important and staying as safe as possible. An “Earthquake Impact Reduction Study of Metro Manila” (MMEIRS) project was developed by PHIVOLCS and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). This entails “an index for planning that considers building collapse, flammability and evacuation difficulty.” The plan will be able to tell which areas are most vulnerable to quakes and would be priority areas for rescues.

Practicing Earthquake Preparedness

School drills are encouraged. While a fire drill encourages students to rush out of the building as soon as possible, an earthquake drill trains students to stay where they are and get cover.  Practice with the children in your family as well in case an earthquake occurs while you’re all at home.

Once an earthquake hits, think fast. Do not wait for the quake to get stronger before acting! Get down on the floor before the earthquake sweeps you off your feet, and protect yourself. Don’t let the shaking earth shake all the common sense out of you. Stay alert, and stay as safe as possible.

Photos: “Hotel destroyed by earthquake; Baguio, Benguet, Philippines” by , c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved / “IMG_3584” by christa connelly, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved / “TRIANGLE OF LIFE” by (JW), c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved / “Earthquake drill” by Jerich Abon, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved /  “San Francisco Earthquake Super Crack” by Scott Beale, c/o Flickr. Some Rights Reserved.

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Toni Tiu is a communications planner by profession and a writer at heart. She blogs about marriage, parenthood and home & living on Wifely Steps and random things in her other coves around the net. She enjoys playing video games with her husband and peekaboo with her baby boy.