How to behave during an earthquake

In a building: • Remain calm. Do not panic. Do not jump out of the window or from the balcony. • Seek shelter under a heavy sturdy piece of furniture (e.g. a table or bed) and hold on to it for the duration of the quake. If this is not possible shelter under a fixed door frame or lie on the floor close to a carrying inside wall and away from windows. Protect your head and face with folded arms. • Remain in the building for the duration of the tremor. It is most dangerous to try to flee from the building during a quake due to danger from falling objects or glass splinters. Exception: only if you are on the ground floor close to an exit leading directly to an open space (garden or open space – not narrow streets) when the tremor begins. Do not use stairways. Do not use lifts. In the open-air: • Seek shelter immediately in an open space, away from buildings, street lamps and supply lines - remain there until the tremor is over. • Should you be driving a vehicle, pull in immediately to the side of the street but away from buildings, trees, flyovers and supply pipes. Remain in the car for the duration of the quake. Listen to the radio. Do not cross bridges, crossings or underground tunnels. After the tremor resume your journey with extreme caution (avoid bridges, rams flyovers etc which may have been damaged during the quake) or if you prefer abandon your car for the time being. • Leave hillside areas immediately - danger through landslides or falling stones. • Should you notice tremors while in flat coastal areas – run quickly land inwards, and if possible to a higher level. Earthquakes may lead to high waves (up to 30 m high – Tsunamis). These sometimes appear a considerable time after the tremors have ceased. Also a second wave may follow. Therefore, leave your save place on higher ground only when the Tsunami alert officially is cancelled. © GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam in der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft