PRECAUTIONS AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED

PRECAUTIONS AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED

• Ensure that no one injured in the family, if any, do not move those with serious injuries because that can cause further injury.
• Do not drive barefoot.
• Watch for places where there is or was fire.
• Turn off the main water line, gas and electricity. Many times forgetting these precautions have been reasons for fires, explosions and major water losses even after many hours of the quake happened.
• Do not light matches, lighters or artifacts from open flames. It could cause an explosion by a gas leak somewhere.
• Do not turn on or turn off electrical appliances or switches, if you suspect a gas leak. These may spark and ignite the gas.
• Beware of fallen or objects in contact with these electrical cables.
• Do not use the telephone to things that are not of extreme urgency. For information, use the portable radio in which you will get a list of the damage caused by the disaster and the area it covers.
 • Make sure your home is out of risk of landslides or other effects. Because usually after the main quake aftershocks occur, which are less intense, but some are strong enough to cause collapse of buildings or houses affected by the first event.
• Stay away from fireplaces, cornices and walls cracked or semi destroyed. Do not forget that sometimes after the earthquake landslides cause.
 • Remember that the Armed Forces, Police, Civil Police, Red Cross, Fire and Civil Defense have the mission to safeguard and protect the inhabitants. Turn to them for help in these misfortunes.
• Do not drive through the streets most affected by the earthquake. Keep the streets clear not to obstruct vehicular traffic or emergency personnel.
• If you are on the coast, do not travel along the beaches or in areas close to them. Remember that some earthquakes with epicenter in the sea and a sizeable sea waves called Tsunamis generated within the following hours when the earthquake happened.

There are many dangers that exist during earthquakes and there are no specific rules to avoid them. But if we act with seismic conscience, keeping calm and helping others to have it, applying the simple but no less important given in this Primer advice, we can reduce a large proportion of personal and material accidents and their pain and destruction.