What to do in the event of an earthquake! Emergency advice

Unfortunately, Turkey has woken up to a rather sad day. On Sunday, February 6, at 4:17 in the morning, a 7.5 magnitude earthquake felt in Kahramanmaraş and the surrounding provinces occurred. Many dents were reported in the area as authorities acted quickly to bring aid to the affected people. So what should you do if this happens to you? In this article, which is purely for the purpose of raising awareness, we talked about what to do in the event of an earthquake.

What to do during an earthquake

Unfortunately, the earthquake was one of the important facts of Turkey. Many fault lines pass through the geography we live on, and the energy trapped in these tectonic layers causes serious natural disasters in certain periods. Although our country has been trying to be prepared for an earthquake like the one in Kahramanmaraş for a long time, the studies are not at a sufficient level. Therefore, there are some precautions that you can take personally. Let’s start with simple but critical steps as a province.

What to do during an earthquake

• Unfixed cabinet, shelf, window, etc. items should be avoided.
• A triangle of life should be created by squatting under a table supported by solid chairs, if any, or next to items that can provide protection, such as a full and bulky armchair, sofa, and a full chest.
• The head should be taken between the two hands or protected with a protective material (pillow, book, etc.). It should be held in this position until the shaking subsides.
• Find a safe place and A LOT, To protect your head and neck TRAPPING, a stable place to avoid falling. TOBACCO
• Do not run towards stairs or exits.
• Do not go to the balcony.
• Do not jump from balconies or windows.
• Absolutely no elevator should be used.
• Telephones should not be used other than to report emergencies and fires.
• Matches, lighters should not be lit, and electrical buttons should not be touched.
• If we are in a wheelchair, the wheels should be locked and the head and neck should be protected.
• In places where there are work tools such as kitchen, workshop, laboratory; cookers, ovens and similar devices should be turned off, and materials and substances that may spill should be avoided.
• After the shaking has passed, the electricity, gas and water valves should be turned off, stoves and heaters should be turned off.
• By taking other security measures, necessary goods and materials should be taken, and the building should be left from the previously determined road and go to the assembly area.
• In the classroom or office at school, a solid desk, under or next to the table; in the corridor, next to the wall to form a life triangle. CROSS-SHUT-HOLD head and neck should be protected.
• Avoid windows and glassware.

Unfortunately, even if you follow all the above steps correctly, there is a chance that you will fall under the dent. At this point, other measures and other solutions come into play.

• Get your earthquake kit ready

The earthquake kit is something we’ve heard and talked about for years. Unfortunately, most of us do not have such an emergency kit within quick reach. According to AFAD, everyone should have an earthquake bag and the following items should be included:

Foods that contain high calories, vitamins and carbohydrates, prevent water loss and are durable (not perishable) (Canned, dried fruits, tahini-molasses, fruit juice, etc.).

• Enough water for the whole family for a while
• Underwear
• Sock
• Raincoat
• Clothing suitable for the climate
• First-aid kit
• sleeping bag or blanket
• Pocket knife, whistle, small scissors
• paper, pen
• Battery-powered radio, flashlight and spare batteries (durable/long-life batteries should be selected))
• Foods that contain high calories, vitamins and carbohydrates, prevent water loss and are durable (not perishable) (Canned, dried fruits, tahini-molasses, fruit juice, etc.).

• Cell phone can save lives

Cell phones will probably be your biggest helper in the event of an earthquake, as always. In case of a possible dent, you can try to call for help from your phone without wasting time. However, considering that many people will be doing a similar search at the same time, it may take some time for help to reach you. It is also important that the authorities stay in touch with you. Therefore, you must protect your phone’s battery.

In the event of an earthquake, turning on low power mode and reaching the maximum possible battery life can make the critical difference between life and death for you. At this point, you should go to your phone’s settings, tick the battery option and turn on low power mode. This process, whose video you can find below, works in a similar way on both Android and iOS.