Earthquake: what to do in the first 60 seconds

Earthquakes don’t give you any warning.
So the only way to prepare is to know what to do in advance — so that your body can react properly before your brain has a chance to panic. The good news: the rules are few and simple, and if you know them, your chances of surviving are dramatically increased.

Here’s what to do — and what not to do — in the crucial first seconds.

The internationally recognized earthquake response can be summed up in three words:
1. Drop — immediately get down on your hands and knees. This position keeps you from falling and allows you to move if necessary.
2. Cover — take shelter under a sturdy table or desk. If not, against an interior wall, away from windows, and cover your head and neck with your hands. Your head is what you protect at all costs.
3. Hold on — grab a sturdy object and hold on until the shaking stops. If the table moves, move with it.

Here are the mistakes people instinctively make — and which are dangerous:

• Don’t run outside during a shaking. Most injuries are caused by falling objects and glass while you’re running. It’s safer to stay put, covered, and wait until the ground stops moving.

• Don’t stand in the doorway. The old advice about the door frame is outdated — in modern buildings, it’s no stronger than the rest, and the door can hit you.

• Don’t use the elevator — either during or immediately after the earthquake.
If you’re elsewhere

On the street: Move away from buildings, poles, cables, and trees — falling debris is the main danger. Go outside and crouch.

In a car: stop in a safe place, away from bridges, overpasses and poles, stay inside with your seat belt fastened and wait for the shaking to stop.

In bed: stay there, turn over on your stomach and cover your head and neck with a pillow.

When the shaking stops
The first 60 seconds have passed — now act calmly:

1. Check yourself and your loved ones for injuries.
2. Watch out for broken glass — put on shoes.
3. Check for the smell of gas; if you smell it — do not burn anything, open the windows, turn off the gas.
4. Be prepared for aftershocks — they come after the main one.
5. If the building is damaged, take your kit and calmly exit the stairs.

This is where the point of preparation becomes clear: if your kit is gathered by the door, and the family knows where to meet, these minutes pass in an organized manner, not in a panic.

Prepare the family calmly, in advance. If you have kids, the book “Earthquakes and Me” teaches them these rules through play and story without scaring them. And the free “Personal Evacuation Plan” tool helps you create a plan for your home—route, meeting place, and what to grab—in five minutes.