Earthquakes

An Earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust . Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a seismograph.
At the Earth's surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and sometimes displacing the ground. When a large earthquake epicenter is located offshore, the seabed sometimes suffers sufficient displacement to cause a tsunami.
Earthquakes are caused mostly by rupture of geological faults, but also by volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts, and nuclear experiments.

What should you do?
You will never have warning that an earthquake is coming. To make sure you and your house are prepared, you should:
• Secure cupboards and bookcases to the wall using bolts. Also try to keep heavy objects on lower shelves so they won’t fall on you during an earthquake.
• Make sure your water heater is secured to a wall. That way, it won’t fall during an earthquake and hurt someone or start a fire.
• If you live in an area that has a lot of earthquakes, make sure that your home is bolted to your foundation. Although this might be expensive, it could save you from a lot of damage to your house during an earthquake.
• Have a disaster plan.

Here are some tips of what to do during an earthquake:
• Do NOT go outside.
• Take cover under a desk, table, or other large and stable piece of furniture. Hold on to it.
• Stay away from windows, heavy furniture, appliances, mirrors, pictures, and anything else that could fall and hurt you.
• If you are driving when an earthquake happens, stop the car if it’s safe. Stay inside your car until the earthquake stops, and don’t drive near bridges or tunnels. Try not to stop by power lines, light posts, signs, or trees.
• Stay alert for falling objects.
• Do NOT use matches, lighters, or candles. If there is a broken gas line, you could spark a fire or explosion.
• Do NOT use elevators. There might be a power outage due to the earthquake, and you could get stuck in the elevator.
After the earthquake stops, here’s what you should do:
• Check yourself and others for injuries. Call 911 if you or someone else needs immediate medical assistance. If the phone lines are not working, try using a cell phone.
• Check to see if electric, water, and gas lines are damaged. If they are, shut off the valves
• Stay away from damaged buildings and areas
• Listen to the radio for more information.

Adriana