It is very important that people living or temporarily staying in seismic areas take some simple precautions and know what to do in the event of an earthquake.
Remember that it is much easier to overcome their natural fear of those people who know exactly how to behave before, during and after an earthquake.
What to do during an earthquake
When an earthquake occurs, the ground will oscillate perceptibly for a relatively short time - only a few seconds, at most a minute at very strong earthquake. These fluctuations are unpleasant, can cause fear, but you have no choice but to wait for them to end. Therefore, it is very important to remain calm and composure. If you act calmly and deliberately, you are more likely to remain unharmed. Moreover, other people will take an example from you and will only benefit from it.
If you feel ground or building shaking, react immediately, remembering that the greatest danger comes from falling objects. Don't be embarrassed if you have to hide under the table. People who procrastinate are most often victims of falling objects, parts of the ceiling and walls.
Stay calm and don't do anything that disturbs other people's peace (eg, don't shout, don't run).
If you are indoors, move to a safe place immediately. Get under a table or bed. Stand in the opening of an inner door or in an inner corner of a room. Remember that the outer walls of the building are more likely to collapse. Stay away from windows, stoves, and heavy objects such as refrigerators that can tip over or move.
Don't run out of the building. Debris falling along the walls is a serious hazard. It is safer to wait out the push where it caught you, and only after waiting for it to end, go to a safe place.
If you are inside a multi-story building, do not rush to the elevators or stairs. There will most likely be pandemonium near the exits, and the elevators will not work. In addition, flights of stairs and elevators often collapse during an earthquake.
Don't be surprised if the power goes out, or the fire alarms, burglar alarms, or fire suppression systems go off. Be prepared to hear the sound of breaking glass, cracking walls and falling objects.
If you are in an unfortified one- or two-story brick building, it may be safer to leave the building than stay in it. Get out of the building as quickly as possible, but be careful, beware of falling pieces of brickwork, wires and other dangerous objects.
Do not jump through windows unless absolutely necessary. Remember, this can lead to injury even if the building is completely intact.
When on a sidewalk near a tall building, enter a driveway or move to an open area to avoid falling debris.
When in a moving vehicle, brake smoothly away from tall buildings, bridges and overpasses. Stay in the car until the aftershocks are over.
Don't be surprised to feel aftershocks. After the first shock, there is usually a pause, after which a second shock may follow. This is caused by the arrival of different seismic waves from the same earthquake. In addition, there may be a so-called aftershock - a new shock following the main one. Aftershocks can occur minutes, hours, or even days after the main shock. Sometimes aftershocks cause damage or destruction of building structures already weakened by the main shock.
What to do after an earthquake
When the shaking of the ground stops, you may find significant damage and casualties. At the same time, it is especially important, while maintaining calm, to immediately begin to help the injured and wounded. The second most important thing is extinguishing fires that have arisen. After that, you can start assessing the damage and restoration work.
Help the wounded. Give them first aid, cover them with blankets to prevent cooling. Refer to a doctor in need.
Try to locate fires and, if possible, take measures to extinguish them.
Inspect communications for damage. Close gas valves if there is a risk of leakage. Identify gas leaks by smell, never use matches or a candle for this. If there is a risk of damage to the wiring, turn off the power. Turn off the water if there is damage to the water pipes.
Do not use the vehicle unless required for safety or assistance.
Do not use the phone except to call for help, report serious incidents, injuries or crimes. Congested telephone lines reduce the efficiency of emergency services, and it would be frivolous to use the telephone for personal purposes or to satisfy curiosity. When tension subsides, contact family and friends to let them know you are safe.
Do not go surveying the area and do not enter the areas of destruction, unless your help is needed there. Avoid coastal areas where tsunamis are likely to occur.
If possible, do not use the toilet until you make sure that the sewer network is not damaged.
Be extremely careful when passing by damaged buildings. Collapses can happen suddenly, in addition, there is a danger due to gas leakage, damaged wiring, broken glass, etc.
Dispose of spilled hazardous liquids (gasoline, chemicals, etc.) and warn others about them.
Listen carefully to radio announcements.
Try to support and encourage children and those who are psychologically traumatized by what is happening. Don't spread rumors.
Assist police, troops, firefighters, emergency medical services and other people involved in rescue and recovery efforts.
If you are trapped
Help those around you, help them calm down. Try to establish contact with people outside the blockage (voice, knock).
Remember: help will come, the main thing is to wait for it. Save your strength. A person can remain viable (without water and food) for more than a crescent.
If there are people next to you in the rubble
Look around. Try to find people who have not fallen into a state of depression, unite with them and immediately begin search and rescue operations.
Establish contact with victims. When receiving response sound signals from people in the blockage, one should strive to establish two-way communication with the victims by periodically tapping, and if possible, provide them with fresh air, water, and medicines.
To extract a person from under the blockage, either the blockage is disassembled from above or from the side, or an opening is punched from the neighboring room, or a manhole is made in the blockage.
Depending on the situation, use the method that is less laborious, provides a quick rescue of the victim, his and your safety.
In some cases, instead of dismantling the blockage, it is advisable to break through an opening in the wall or make a manhole.
Properly organize the work on the equipment of the manhole-passage!
Choose a place for making a passageway (do not choose areas with a pile of boulders, they can tip over or settle and thereby make work difficult).
Pay special attention to strengthening the elements of the manhole-passage with mounting racks, crossbars, spacers. Remember, repeated tremors are possible, which can lead to the destruction of the manhole passage.
As they approach the victim, everything that can interfere with the extraction of a person and cause him additional injuries is removed from the path. First remove large fragments, then small ones. First of all, free the head of the victim himself and upper part torso, then limbs, not forgetting to apply tourniquets on them above places that have undergone prolonged compression. Burning and smoldering objects must be removed from the rubble and extinguished to avoid burns and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Provide first aid to the injured.
Be sure to wait for the arrival of professional rescuers, share your observations with them, answer their questions.
REMEMBER! The lives of people in trouble largely depend on your skillful actions.
How to Prepare for an Earthquake
Everyone living in an earthquake-prone area must consciously and systematically plan their actions during a possible earthquake. You are much more likely to remain calm and able to act intelligently if you think through everything in advance - your actions at home, at work, in the store, on the street, in the car and in other places where you visit.
The following is a list of preparations that can be made in view of a possible earthquake. Some of them are the simplest measures that can be taken immediately, other recommendations are addressed to those who are willing to spend their time and effort to provide additional security.
Plan in advance the most economical and safe way out of the premises in case of an earthquake. Remember that it can happen at night, and the doors and corridors will be clogged with people. Doors can also jam.
Determine in advance the safest places in the apartment (internal corners near the main walls, openings of internal doors, tables, beds).
Teach children and other members of your family to sit in a safe place.
Do not keep heavy things on cabinets and shelves unless absolutely necessary.
Find out how gas, electricity and water are turned off in your home and other places you visit. If a wrench is needed to shut off the line, place (or tie) it near the valve to be closed.
Have a first aid kit ready and learn how to provide it. If you are constantly taking any medications, keep an emergency supply of medications that you and your loved ones need.
Always have a battery-powered radio handy, flashlight and spare batteries for them.
Attach bookcases and other heavy furniture that can tip over to the walls.
Store flammable and toxic materials in a safe place where they cannot be spilled.
Make sure your bed is located away from large windows, mirrors and heavy objects that can fall.
Check the condition of your home, determine what measures are required to strengthen it.
Support local government preparedness activities natural disasters. Support their efforts to restore and reconstruct old and dilapidated buildings, structures, including the strengthening or demolition of unreliable building elements.
Write down next to the phone the numbers of the ambulance, the numbers of the fire brigade, the police and the seismic station. You may need the last number to specify the location of the earthquake.
Estimation of the magnitude of an earthquake by common features
1 point - imperceptible - not felt by people; soil vibrations are noted only by instruments.
2 points - very weak - felt by people on the upper floors of buildings.
3 points - weak - fluctuations are noted by many people.
4 points - moderate - felt by almost everyone; glass shatters.
5 points - quite strong - many sleepers wake up; chandeliers sway, etc.
6 points - strong - light damage to buildings, thin cracks in the plaster.
7 points - very strong - cracks in the walls, chipping off pieces of plaster, cornices, partial destruction of chimneys.
8 points - destructive - falling of cornices, chimneys; through cracks in the walls and their partial collapse; it is difficult for people to stand on their feet.
9 points - devastating - collapse of walls, roofs of buildings.
10 points - destroying - the destruction of many buildings, cracks in the soil up to 1 m wide.
11 points - catastrophe - numerous cracks and ditches on the earth's surface, large landslides in the mountains.
12 points - severe catastrophe - significant changes in the terrain.
EARTHQUAKES are tremors and vibrations of the earth's surface resulting from sudden displacements and breaks in earth's crust or upper mantle and transmitted to long distances in the form of elastic vibrations. The point in the earth's crust from which seismic waves radiate is called the epicenter of an earthquake.
The intensity of an earthquake is estimated on a 12-point seismic scale (MSK-86), magnitude is used for the energy classification of earthquakes. Conventionally, earthquakes are divided into weak (1-4 points), strong (5-7 points) and destructive (8 or more points).
During earthquakes, glasses burst and fly out, objects lying on them fall from the shelves, bookcases stagger, chandeliers sway, whitewash crumbles from the ceiling, and cracks appear in the walls and ceilings. All this is accompanied by a deafening noise. After 10-20 seconds of shaking, tremors intensify, resulting in the destruction of buildings and structures. Just a dozen strong shaking destroys the entire building. On average, an earthquake lasts 5-20s. The longer the concussions last, the more severe the damage.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN EARTHQUAKE
Think in advance of a plan of action during an earthquake when you are at home, at work, in the cinema, theater, on transport and on the street. Explain to your family members what they should do during an earthquake and educate them on first aid.
Keep documents, money, a flashlight, and spare batteries handy.
Have a supply at home drinking water and canned food for several days.
Move beds away from windows and exterior walls. Fasten cabinets, shelves and racks in the apartments, and remove heavy objects from the upper shelves and mezzanines.
Store hazardous substances (poisonous chemicals, flammable liquids) in a safe, well-insulated place.
All residents should know where the switch, main gas and water taps are located in order to turn off electricity, gas and water if necessary.
HOW TO ACT DURING AN EARTHQUAKE
Feeling the vibrations of the building, seeing the swing of the lamps, falling objects, hearing the growing rumble and the sound of breaking glass, do not panic (from the moment you feel the first tremors to vibrations dangerous for the building, you have 15 - 20 seconds). Quickly exit the building, taking documents, money and essentials. When leaving the room, go down the stairs, not the elevator. Once on the street - stay there, but do not stand near buildings, but move to an open space.
Stay calm and try to calm others down! If you are forced to stay indoors, then stand in a safe place: against an internal wall, in a corner, in an internal wall opening, or at a bearing support. If possible, hide under a table - it will protect you from falling objects and debris. Stay away from windows and heavy furniture. If you have children with you, cover them with yourself.
Do not use candles, matches, lighters - if gas leaks, a fire may occur. Stay away from overhanging balconies, cornices, parapets, beware of broken wires. If you are in a vehicle, stay out in the open but do not leave the vehicle until the jolt has stopped. Be ready to help in saving others.
HOW TO ACT AFTER AN EARTHQUAKE
Provide first aid to those in need.
Free those caught in easily removable blockages.
Be careful! Ensure the safety of children, the sick, the elderly. Calm them down. Don't pick up the phone unless absolutely necessary. Turn on the radio. Obey the instructions of the local authorities, the headquarters for the aftermath of a natural disaster.
Check for damage to electrical wiring. Repair the problem or turn off the electricity in the apartment. Remember that in case of a strong earthquake, the electricity in the city is turned off automatically.
Check for damage to the gas and water lines. Troubleshoot or disconnect networks. Do not use open fire. Going down the stairs, be careful, make sure it is strong.
Do not approach obviously damaged buildings, do not enter them. Be prepared for strong aftershocks, as the first 2-3 hours after an earthquake are the most dangerous. Do not enter buildings unless absolutely necessary. Do not make up or pass on any rumors about possible aftershocks. Use official information. If you find yourself in a blockage, calmly assess the situation, if possible, provide yourself with medical assistance. Try to establish contact with people outside the blockage (voice, knock). Remember that you can not light a fire, you can drink water from the toilet bowl, and pipes and batteries can be used to signal. Save your strength. A person can go without food for more than a crescent.
How to survive during an earthquake, a professional survival instructor spoke on the air of the MIR 24 TV channel Alexey Sedoy.
- How to behave in order not to be under the rubble?
Alexey Sedoy A: There are three classic scenarios: before, during and after the event. Information about an earthquake is either delayed or arrives simultaneously with it. It must be remembered that an earthquake never occurs immediately at the maximum - first there are small tremors. Therefore, if you quickly orient yourself, you can take a safer place.
Pets feel the approach of various natural disasters. If you notice strange behavior in your pet, you can call two or three animal friends and find out how their pets are behaving now. The changed model of animal behavior is one of the signs of the approach of some natural phenomenon. If you are at this moment in the apartment, immediately leave it.
- What to do during the first shocks? Do you have to go outside right away?
Alexey Sedoy A: It depends on the house and how worn it is. There are seismic and non-seismic houses.
Are there safe places inside the house at all?
Alexey Sedoy: Conditionally safe places are a doorway in a load-bearing wall and small rooms, such as toilets and a bathroom. The bath itself can also save, because the floor slab falls on the sides of the bath when it falls. In any case, first of all, you need to grab your passport and mobile phone. However, in any extreme situation, you get lost in the woods or caught an earthquake, don't waste your phone's battery, keep it dry and communicate only with rescuers.
- In the United States, annual exercises are held in case of an earthquake. They teach, among other things, to cover the head and neck with hands. Is it necessary?
Alexey Sedoy A: Yes, this is the correct practice. Another correct position is lying on your side, looking down and covering your neck with your hands. In this way you protect vital important organs.
- What are the chances of survival for residents of the upper floors of multi-storey buildings?
Alexey Sedoy: In any case, the elevator must not be used during the evacuation.
- What to do if an earthquake caught driving a car?
Alexey Sedoy: You must immediately stop, get out of the car, leave the roadway. If you are on the border of the settlement, then you need to go to the side of the road. If you are in locality, then two or three (up to 10) cars must block the intersection and be inside this safe space. On the street you have to save yourself at the crossroads. The middle of an intersection, especially one blocked by cars, is the safest place.
Earthquake: how to behave
Reminder for the population
It is very important that people living or temporarily staying in seismic areas take some simple precautions and know what to do in the event of an earthquake.
Remember that it is much easier to overcome their natural fear of those people who know exactly how to behave before, during and after an earthquake.
What to do during an earthquake
When an earthquake occurs, the ground will perceptibly oscillate for a relatively short time - only a few seconds, at most a minute in a very strong earthquake. These fluctuations are unpleasant, can cause fear, but you have no choice but to wait for them to end. Therefore, it is very important to remain calm and composure. If you act calmly and deliberately, you are more likely to remain unharmed. Moreover, other people will take an example from you and will only benefit from it.
If you feel ground or building shaking, react immediately, remembering that the greatest danger comes from falling objects. Don't be embarrassed if you have to hide under the table. People who procrastinate are most often victims of falling objects, parts of the ceiling and walls.
Stay calm and don't do anything that disturbs other people's peace (eg, don't shout, don't run).
If you are indoors, move to a safe place immediately. Get under a table or bed. Stand in the opening of an inner door or in an inner corner of a room. Remember that the outer walls of the building are more likely to collapse. Stay away from windows, stoves, and heavy objects such as refrigerators that can tip over or move.
Don't run out of the building. Debris falling along the walls is a serious hazard. It is safer to wait out the push where it caught you, and only after waiting for it to end, go to a safe place.
If you are inside a multi-story building, do not rush to the elevators or stairs. There will most likely be pandemonium near the exits, and the elevators will not work. In addition, flights of stairs and elevators often collapse during an earthquake.
Don't be surprised if the power goes out, or the fire alarms, burglar alarms, or fire suppression systems go off. Be prepared to hear the sound of breaking glass, cracking walls and falling objects.
If you are in an unfortified one- or two-story brick building, it may be safer to leave the building than stay in it. Get out of the building as quickly as possible, but be careful, beware of falling pieces of brickwork, wires and other dangerous objects.
Do not jump through windows unless absolutely necessary. Remember, this can lead to injury even if the building is completely intact.
When on a sidewalk near a tall building, enter a driveway or move to an open area to avoid falling debris.
When in a moving vehicle, brake smoothly away from tall buildings, bridges and overpasses. Stay in the car until the aftershocks are over.
Don't be surprised to feel aftershocks. After the first shock, there is usually a pause, after which a second shock may follow. This is caused by the arrival of different seismic waves from the same earthquake. In addition, there may be a so-called aftershock - a new shock following the main one. Aftershocks can occur minutes, hours, or even days after the main shock. Sometimes aftershocks cause damage or destruction of building structures already weakened by the main shock.
What to do after an earthquake
When the shaking of the ground stops, you may find significant damage and casualties. At the same time, it is especially important, while maintaining calm, to immediately begin to help the injured and wounded. The second most important thing is extinguishing fires that have arisen. After that, you can start assessing the damage and restoration work.
Help the wounded. Give them first aid, cover them with blankets to prevent cooling. Refer to a doctor in need.
Try to locate fires and, if possible, take measures to extinguish them.
Inspect communications for damage. Close gas valves if there is a risk of leakage. Identify gas leaks by smell, never use matches or a candle for this. If there is a risk of damage to the wiring, turn off the power. Turn off the water if there is damage to the water pipes.
Do not use the vehicle unless required for safety or assistance.
Do not use the phone except to call for help, report serious incidents, injuries or crimes. Congested telephone lines reduce the efficiency of emergency services, and it would be frivolous to use the telephone for personal purposes or to satisfy curiosity. When tension subsides, contact family and friends to let them know you are safe.
Do not go surveying the area and do not enter the areas of destruction, unless your help is needed there. Avoid coastal areas where tsunamis are likely to occur.
If possible, do not use the toilet until you make sure that the sewer network is not damaged.
Be extremely careful when passing by damaged buildings. Collapses can happen suddenly, in addition, there is a danger due to gas leakage, damaged wiring, broken glass, etc.
Dispose of spilled hazardous liquids (gasoline, chemicals, etc.) and warn others about them.
Listen carefully to radio announcements.
Try to support and encourage children and those who are psychologically traumatized by what is happening. Don't spread rumors.
Assist police, troops, firefighters, emergency medical services and other people involved in rescue and recovery efforts.
If you are trapped
Help those around you, help them calm down. Try to establish contact with people outside the blockage (voice, knock).
Remember: help will come, the main thing is to wait for it. Save your strength. A person can remain viable (without water and food) for more than a crescent.
If there are people next to you in the rubble
Look around. Try to find people who have not fallen into a state of depression, unite with them and immediately begin search and rescue operations.
Establish contact with victims. When receiving response sound signals from people in the blockage, one should strive to establish two-way communication with the victims by periodically tapping, and if possible, provide them with fresh air, water, and medicines.
To extract a person from under the blockage, either the blockage is disassembled from above or from the side, or an opening is punched from the neighboring room, or a manhole is made in the blockage.
Depending on the situation, use the method that is less laborious, provides a quick rescue of the victim, his and your safety.
In some cases, instead of dismantling the blockage, it is advisable to break through an opening in the wall or make a manhole.
Properly organize the work on the equipment of the manhole-passage!
Choose a place for making a passageway (do not choose areas with a pile of boulders, they can tip over or settle and thereby make work difficult).
Pay special attention to strengthening the elements of the manhole-passage with mounting racks, crossbars, spacers. Remember, repeated tremors are possible, which can lead to the destruction of the manhole passage.
As they approach the victim, everything that can interfere with the extraction of a person and cause him additional injuries is removed from the path. First remove large fragments, then small ones. At the victim himself, first of all, free the head and upper body, then the limbs, not forgetting to apply tourniquets on them above the places that have undergone prolonged compression. Burning and smoldering objects must be removed from the rubble and extinguished to avoid burns and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Provide first aid to the injured.
Be sure to wait for the arrival of professional rescuers, share your observations with them, answer their questions.
REMEMBER! The lives of people in trouble largely depend on your skillful actions.
How to Prepare for an Earthquake
Everyone living in an earthquake-prone area must consciously and systematically plan their actions during a possible earthquake. You are much more likely to remain calm and able to act intelligently if you think through everything in advance - your actions at home, at work, in the store, on the street, in the car and in other places where you visit.
The following is a list of preparations that can be made in view of a possible earthquake. Some of them are the simplest measures that can be taken immediately, other recommendations are addressed to those who are willing to spend their time and effort to provide additional security.
Plan in advance the most economical and safe way out of the premises in case of an earthquake. Remember that it can happen at night, and the doors and corridors will be clogged with people. Doors can also jam.
Determine in advance the safest places in the apartment (internal corners near the main walls, openings of internal doors, tables, beds).
Teach children and other members of your family to sit in a safe place.
Do not keep heavy things on cabinets and shelves unless absolutely necessary.
Find out how gas, electricity and water are turned off in your home and other places you visit. If a wrench is needed to shut off the line, place (or tie) it near the valve to be closed.
Have a first aid kit ready and learn how to provide it. If you are constantly taking any medications, keep an emergency supply of medications that you and your loved ones need.
Always have a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and spare batteries handy.
Attach bookcases and other heavy furniture that can tip over to the walls.
Store flammable and toxic materials in a safe place where they cannot be spilled.
Make sure your bed is located away from large windows, mirrors and heavy objects that can fall.
Check the condition of your home, determine what measures are required to strengthen it.
Support local disaster preparedness activities. Support their efforts to restore and reconstruct old and dilapidated buildings, structures, including the strengthening or demolition of unreliable building elements.
Write down next to the phone the numbers of the ambulance, fire brigade, police and seismic station. You may need the last number to specify the location of the earthquake.
Estimation of the magnitude of an earthquake by common features
1 point - imperceptible - not felt by people; soil vibrations are noted only by instruments.
2 points - very weak - felt by people on the upper floors of buildings.
3 points - weak - fluctuations are noted by many people.
4 points - moderate - felt by almost everyone; glass shatters.
5 points - quite strong - many sleepers wake up; chandeliers sway, etc.
6 points - strong - light damage to buildings, thin cracks in the plaster.
7 points - very strong - cracks in the walls, chipping off pieces of plaster, cornices, partial destruction of chimneys.
8 points - destructive - falling of cornices, chimneys; through cracks in the walls and their partial collapse; it is difficult for people to stand on their feet.
9 points - devastating - collapse of walls, roofs of buildings.
10 points - destroying - the destruction of many buildings, cracks in the soil up to 1 m wide.
11 points - catastrophe - numerous cracks and ditches on the earth's surface, large landslides in the mountains.
12 points - severe catastrophe - significant changes in the terrain.
Signs of an approaching earthquake:
Anyone living in earthquake-prone regions should be aware of the signs of an approaching earthquake. These include: The appearance of a smell of gas in areas where the air was clean before, and this phenomenon was not previously noted. Not a natural concern for birds and pets. Flashes in the form of scattered light lightning. Sparking of closely spaced, but not touching electrical wires. Bluish glow of the inner surface of the walls of houses; Spontaneous ignition of fluorescent lamps (this phenomenon is observed shortly before tremors).
What to do, if:
1.You are in the building: It is necessary to leave the building after the end of the first shock (shocks) quickly and in the shortest way. This path must be known and able to be found even in conditions of limited visibility. You can not waste time on fees, you should take with you Required documents; a supply of water, food (of course, only if such an opportunity is issued). The most important thing would be to take the necessary medicines with you, especially if you suffer from chronic diseases, or if you need to take medicines at strictly defined hours (for example, for diabetes, asthma, etc.). You cannot use the elevator. You can not gather on the roof of the building, accumulate on the stairwells or on the stairs. You can move along the surviving flights of stairs, and in their absence, you can use emergency exits or fire escapes. During movement, carefully assess the condition of the structure: there may be collapses. If you are on the ground floor, you can leave the building through the window (if you can't open it, break the glass and carefully climb out).
2.You failed to leave the building: The safest place in the apartment is the opening in the front door - this is the space under the supporting structure (although other sources may also indicate the corners of the main walls, but in our opinion, this place is quite dangerous). There are several options for optimal postures that provide the greatest security in confined places: squatting down, tilt your torso forward, covering your face and head with your hands; stand facing the doorway (front door). Do not jump out of a window without making sure that there are airbags on the ground. When leaving the apartment, turn off all electrical appliances (which can cause a fire, such as an iron), gas stove, etc. During an earthquake, all residents of the apartment should gather in a safe place, snuggle up tightly to each other, place the children in the center of the group. If possible, keep a self-powered radio nearby to listen to emergency messages.
How to behave if you find yourself in a blockage: -Don't try to get out on your own. - Try to reinforce the "ceiling" with nearby fragments of furniture and building. - Move sharp objects away from you. - If you have a mobile phone - call the rescuers by calling "112". - Cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief and clothes that are as damp as possible. - Attract the attention of rescuers by knocking - it is better to knock on pipes. It is better to shout only when you heard the voices of the rescuers - otherwise there is a risk of suffocation from the dust. - If you have water, drink as much as possible. - Keep your composure: remember: you will definitely be rescued!
About earthquake scores:
1 point. Insensible earthquake. The intensity of fluctuations lies below the human sensitivity limit. Soil shaking is detected and recorded only by seismographs.
2 points . A barely perceptible earthquake. Vibrations are felt only by some people who are at rest indoors, especially on the upper floors.
3 points. Weak concussion. The earthquake is felt by few people in the room. The vibrations are similar to the shock generated by a passing light truck. Attentive observers notice a slight swaying of hanging objects, somewhat stronger on the upper floors.
4 points. Noticeable concussion. An earthquake is felt inside a building by many people, outdoors by a few. In some places the sleepers wake up, but no one is frightened. The vibrations are similar to the shock generated by a passing, heavily loaded truck. The rattling of windows, doors, dishes. Creaking floors and walls. The furniture starts to shake. Hanging objects sway slightly. Fluid in open vessels oscillates. In cars standing still, the push is noticeable.
5 points. Awakening. An earthquake is felt by all people indoors, outdoors by many. Many sleepers wake up. Few of them jump out of the premises. The animals are worried. Buildings are shaking. Hanging objects swing strongly. The pictures are moving. In rare cases, pendulum clocks stop. Some unstable objects tip over or move. Unlocked doors and windows swing open and shut again. From filled open vessels, liquid splashes out in small quantities. The vibrations felt are similar to those caused by heavy objects falling inside a building.
6 points. Fright. An earthquake is felt by most people, both indoors and outdoors. Many people in buildings get scared and run out into the street. Some people lose their balance. Pets run out of hiding places. In a few cases, dishes, glassware may break, books may fall. Movements of heavy furniture are possible, the ringing of small bells in the bell towers can be heard. In a few cases, cracks up to 1 cm wide are possible in wet soils. In mountainous areas, there are isolated cases of landslides. There is a change in the water level in the wells.
7 points. Most people get scared and run out of the premises. Many of them are barely able to stand on their feet. Building damage. Fluctuations are noticed by drivers of moving cars. In some cases, landslides of roadways on steep slopes and cracks in the roads. Violations of the joints of pipelines: cracks in stone fences. Waves form on the surface of the water, the water becomes cloudy due to the rise of silt. The water level in the wells changes. In few cases, new sources of water are created or existing sources disappear. Individual cases of landslides on sandy river banks.
8 points. Fear and panic increase, anxiety is expressed, buildings are badly damaged. Here and there the branches of trees break off. Moves and sometimes overturns heavy furniture. Some of the hanging lamps are damaged. Separate cases of rupture of pipeline joints. Monuments and statues move. Headstones are overturned. The stone walls are crumbling. Small landslides on the steep slopes of cuts and embankments of roads, cracks in the soil reach several cm. New reservoirs appear. Sometimes dry wells fill up with water or, conversely, existing ones dry up.
9 points. General panic escalates. Massive damage to buildings. Major damage to furniture. Animals rush about and make screams. Monuments and columns overturn. Significant damage to artificial reservoirs, breaks in part of underground pipelines. On the flood plains, sand and silt deposits are often noticeable. Cracks in the soil reach a width of 1 cm, and along the slopes and banks of rivers - more than 10 cm, in addition, a large number of thin cracks in the soil. Rocks collapse, frequent landslides and shedding of soil. Large waves on the surface of the water.
10 points. General destruction of buildings. Dangerous damage to dams and dikes, serious damage to bridges. Slight curvature of railroad tracks. Breaks or bends in underground pipelines. Road surfaces and asphalt form an undulating surface. Cracks in the soil are several decimeters wide, and in some cases up to a meter wide. Parallel to the channels water flow there are wide gaps. Shedding of loose rocks from steep slopes. Large landslides are possible on the banks of rivers and steep sea coasts. Sandy and silty masses move in coastal areas. Spilling water in canals, lakes and rivers. New lakes are emerging.
11 points. Catastrophe. Serious damage even to well-built buildings, bridges, dams and railway lines. Highways are falling into disrepair. Underground pipelines are destroyed. Significant soil deformations in the form of wide cracks, breaks and movements in vertical and horizontal directions. Numerous mountain falls. Determining the intensity of shaking (intensity) requires a special study. 12 points. Severe damage or destruction of almost all ground and underground structures. Radical changes in the earth's surface. There are significant cracks in the soil. Mountain landslides of river banks over large areas. Lakes are formed, waterfalls are formed, riverbeds are formed. Determining the intensity of shaking (intensity) requires a special study.
Squeeze Syndrome:
Intelligence: The compression syndrome develops when people get under the collapse of residential and industrial buildings, compression of the body during automobile, railway accidents, when rescue work is difficult due to technical difficulties, and also possible in drunkards who have spent several hours in one position, with limited blood flow to some parts of the body. It often occurs as a result of prolonged squeezing of the limb with a heavy object. If the limb is not released from compression, then the general condition of the victim may be satisfactory. The pain, which was very strong at the beginning of the compression, becomes dull after a few hours. In such situations, internal poisons caused by the decomposition of injured tissues enter the bloodstream and poison nervous system, blood, kidneys, liver.
Signs: The victim complains of general weakness and pain in the damaged parts of the body. After 6-8 hours, a sharp swelling occurs in all damaged parts of the body, the tissues become dense and tense. The skin of these parts of the body becomes bluish in color. There is weakness, phenomena of renal failure (virtually no urine). Release of the limb (without the help of a tourniquet) causes a sharp deterioration in the condition, loss of consciousness, involuntary defecation and urination. Leg or arm - if the function is absent, then the limbs are cold to the touch, may acquire a pale or cyanotic hue, the pulse on the limb is rare or absent.
Primary actions: Before releasing the limb, apply a tourniquet above the compression site. As soon as possible, free the victim from the rubble, ruins, vehicle etc. After release from compression, without removing the tourniquet, tightly bandage the limbs from the base of the fingers to the tourniquet, and only then carefully remove it. Enter an anesthetic. Fix the limb with a bandage using improvised means - cardboard, planks or a special splint. In the presence of bone damage, apply splints, in case of injury - sterile dressings. Give the limb an elevated position. Give plenty of drink - alkaline mineral or soda water.
