According to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), here are the things that the public should do during an earthquake to avoid being hurt, massive injuries, or death:
If a person is inside a structurally sound building or home:
- Stay inside. If possible, quickly open the door for exit.
- Stay away from glass windows, shelves, cabinets, and other heavy objects.
- Beware of falling objects. Be alert and keep your eyes open.
- Do the “Duck, Cover, Hold”—duck under a sturdy desk or table and hold onto it, or protect your head with your arm
If a person is outside, Phivolcs advised to: - Move to an open area and stay away from trees, power lines, posts, and concrete structures.
- Move away from steep slopes, which may be hit by landslides.
- If you’re near a shore and feel an earthquake, especially if it’s too strong, move immediately to higher grounds.
Most importantly, Phivolcs reminded the public to:
- Familiarize themselves with exit routes.
- Know where fire extinguishers, first aid kits, alarms, and communication facilities are located. Learn how to use these beforehand.
- Conduct and participate in regular earthquake drills.
- Prepare an emergency “go bag.”
According to Unicef, emergency kits or Go Bags should include:
- Toiletries—anti-bacterial soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, clothes, mosquito repellant, menstrual pads, wet wipes, diapers for babies, and COVID-19 safety kit (face masks, hand sanitizers, or 70% rubbing alcohol).
- Food and medicines—clean drinking water, ready-to-eat food that has a long shelf life, first aid kit (alcohol, band-aids, antiseptics, bandages, tweezer), medicines (for fever, colds, diarrhea, etc.), thermometer and vitamins.
- Emergency tools: flashlight (crank-type or battery operated), fully charged power bank, whistle (for each member of the family), candles and matches, ropes, raincoats, portable radio, blankets, notebook and pen or pencil, list of emergency numbers, and toys or comfort objects for children.
- Important documents: passports, marriage certificates, property and insurance documents, medical records, etc.
- Government-issued IDs or any ID which indicates the person’s blood type and emergency contact information.
- Emergency money, ATM card, passbook.
- Clean clothes.