What to Do in an Earthquake: Drop, Cover and Hold On

During the shaking

Drop to your hands and knees before the shaking knocks you down. Cover your head and neck with one arm, and crawl under a sturdy table or desk if one is close; otherwise get down next to an inside wall, away from windows. Hold on to your shelter, or to your head and neck, until the shaking stops.

• Don't run outside. Falling glass, bricks and roof tiles near the walls of buildings are one of the main dangers.
• Doorways are not safer in modern homes, and a swinging door can hurt you. A table is better.
• In bed: stay there, lie face down and protect your head and neck with a pillow.
• In a wheelchair: lock the wheels, bend over and cover your head and neck.
• Outdoors: move away from buildings, trees, street lights and power lines if you can do it safely, then drop, cover and hold on.
• Driving: pull over away from bridges, overpasses and power lines, stop and stay inside with your seat belt on.

When the shaking stops

• Expect aftershocks. They can come minutes, days or weeks later, and the largest is often about one magnitude smaller than the main quake.
• Check yourself and others for injuries. Wear sturdy shoes: there may be broken glass.
• If you smell gas, open the windows, leave the building and turn off the gas at the meter if you know how. Don't use light switches or flames.
• Leave a building that looks damaged. Use the stairs, not the lift.
• Use text messages rather than calls, to keep the phone network free for emergencies.
• Follow your local authorities on the radio or their official channels.

Near the coast: tsunami

If you are on the coast and the shaking is strong enough to make it hard to stand, or lasts longer than about 20 seconds, a tsunami may follow. Move to high ground or well inland as soon as the shaking stops, on foot if you can. Don't wait for an official warning: the first wave can arrive within minutes. Other natural signs are a loud roar from the sea, or the water pulling back unusually far.

Stay away from the coast until officials say it is safe. A tsunami is a series of waves, and the first one is often not the largest.

Before an earthquake

• Fix tall furniture, bookcases and televisions to the wall, and put heavy things on low shelves.
• Know the safe spots in each room: under strong tables, against inside walls.
• Keep water, food, a torch, a radio, a first-aid kit, medicines and spare batteries for at least three days.
• Agree a meeting point with your family, and someone outside the area everyone can contact.
• Find out whether your home is in a tsunami zone, and the route to high ground.
• Take part in an earthquake drill, such as the yearly Great ShakeOut.

Earthquake early warning

Some countries, including Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and the west coast of the United States, have official early-warning systems that can give a few seconds of notice before strong shaking arrives. Android phones in many countries also have a built-in earthquake alerts system. These are different from apps like Quake, which show earthquakes once they have been located. If you get an official alert, drop, cover and hold on straight away.