Try to survive, and don't shake your clothes off

Houses are collapsing like dominoes, apartments are losing their grip on the ground, and streets are exploding for some reason. You turn on the TV or the radio, and they say there’s an earthquake. Seriously? An earthquake? Thanks for the useless info, but what am I supposed to do now?

Take cover

First, get down on your hands and knees, so the shaking can't knock you over like a domino. Then find something to hide under. A sturdy table or desk is your best bet. A plastic garden table won't protect you much, so skip that one. Stay away from windows, and from big, heavy furniture like bookcases and wardrobes, because they can fall on you. Stay under your cover until the shaking stops.

💡Extra tip: Do you happen to have a sturdy table or desk? If you can take shelter underneath it, hold onto a leg so you shake along with the table. That way, you’ll move with it instead of the table shaking away from you and leaving you unprotected.

Help, my house is falling apart like a house of cards

In this case, you have little to no control over the situation... too bad for you. Suppose you’ve miraculously survived but are trapped under the rubble. Stay calm. Yes, you can shout for help, but keep in mind that you’ll inhale dust and that oxygen levels are limited. What you can do in these situations is cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve, a cloth, a curtain… It doesn’t matter what, as long as you keep it covered. Want to be heard? Tap on walls, debris or pipes, anything that makes a sound. These methods will increase your chances of survival.

💡Extra tip: If you’ve managed to find a way to escape from what’s left of your home, make sure to keep a safe distance from any standing walls, roofs, etc. Be aware of aftershocks.

I can help someone, but I don't know where to start

Well, before you start playing the hero, first check whether the surroundings are safe enough to approach the person who needs your help. Can’t call emergency services? Don’t worry. There are plenty of things you can do on your own to make sure the person in question is okay... or not. Talk to him or her and check the victim’s breathing for 10 seconds. Is their breathing normal? Then don’t worry. Is there heavy bleeding? Is there a lot of blood loss? Make sure you can stop the bleeding with a cloth or whatever you have on hand while you try to reach emergency services. Finally, keep the person lying down or sitting as much as possible. You don’t know what injuries they might have.

💡Extra tip: Safety first, then assistance.

Myths that get people killed

Be ready before it happens

Earthquakes don't send an invitation. The good news: most of the preparation takes one afternoon, and you only have to do it once.

• Fix tall furniture, bookcases and your TV to the wall.
• Don't hang heavy mirrors or picture frames above your bed.
• Pick your safe spot in every room: a sturdy table or desk, away from windows.
• Keep shoes and a flashlight next to your bed. After a quake at night, the floor will be covered in glass.
• Put together an emergency kit: water for at least three days, food that keeps, a first aid kit, a whistle, a radio and a power bank.
• Find out where to shut off your gas and water.
• Practice drop, cover and hold on once with the people you live with. It feels silly, but it makes it automatic.

Real story: the miracle babies of Mexico City

On September 19, 1985, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit Mexico City. Thousands of buildings were damaged or destroyed, including hospitals. In the days that followed, rescuers kept digging, and they kept finding survivors.

Among them were several newborn babies, pulled alive from the rubble of a collapsed hospital, some of them almost a week after the quake. They became known as the "miracle babies". Since then, Mexico holds a huge national earthquake drill every year on September 19. In 2017, a real earthquake hit on that exact date, just hours after the drill.

💡Tip: rescue teams keep searching for days. If someone you know is missing, tell the rescuers exactly where that person was when the quake hit. That's where they start digging.

Did you know?

That the strongest earthquake ever recorded by seismic instruments had a magnitude of 9.5? It occurred on May 22, 1960, in Chile and is known as the Great Chilean or Valdivia Earthquake. The fault zone was nearly 1,600 km long.