Earthquake Safety & Response

Safety guide · 6-minute read

During the shaking: Drop, Cover, Hold On

The single most important response, recommended worldwide, is Drop, Cover and Hold On:

• Drop to your hands and knees before the shaking knocks you down.
• Cover your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk. If there's none nearby, get next to an interior wall away from windows and cover your head with your arms.
• Hold On to your shelter (or your head and neck) until the shaking stops, moving with it if it shifts.

Do not run outside during shaking — most injuries come from falling objects and broken glass, and doorways are no safer than anywhere else in a modern building. If you're in bed, stay there and protect your head with a pillow. If you're driving, pull over away from bridges and power lines and stay in the car.

The few seconds you may get

You'll often feel a sharp jolt (the P-wave) a moment before the stronger rolling arrives. In some regions an early-warning system such as ShakeAlert may push an alert to phones seconds before the shaking — enough time to drop and take cover, stop a car, or step back from a stove. Use those seconds to protect yourself, not to run. Remember: our tracker shows quakes after they happen and is not a warning system.

After the shaking stops

• Expect aftershocks. Be ready to Drop, Cover and Hold On again — see aftershocks explained.
• Check yourself and others for injuries before anything else.
• Watch for hazards: gas leaks (a smell of gas → turn it off, get out, don't use switches or flames), damaged wiring, broken glass and unstable shelves.
• If you're near the coast and felt a strong or long quake, move to high ground immediately — don't wait for an official tsunami alert.
• Use text or messaging rather than calls to keep networks clear, and follow official channels for instructions.

Before it happens: a simple checklist

• Secure tall furniture, water heaters and heavy items to walls.
• Keep shoes and a flashlight by the bed; know where your gas shut-off is.
• Store a few days of water, food, medication and a first-aid kit.
• Agree a family meeting point and an out-of-area contact.
• Practise Drop, Cover and Hold On so it's automatic.

More: Aftershocks explained · What is an earthquake · The magnitude scale.