Turn off the stove quickly if you are in the kitchen; stay away from windows and external walls, and do not use elevators.

This is the advice the American centers provided for protection from earthquakes, and the best places to take shelter, when an earthquake occurs inside the house or workplace is under the table, or any solid furniture, reports Al-Rai daily.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that in most cases a person can protect himself, if he immediately performs what is called “Drop, Cover, Hold on”, according to what was published by “Al Jazeera.net”.

Steps to protection in every situation

— Get down on your hands and knees, this position protects you from falling and allows you to move if necessary.

— Cover your head and neck (and your whole body if possible) under a sturdy table or desk, and if there is no shelter nearby, get down close to the wall or next to low furniture that does not fall on you, and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.

— Stay in your position until the shaking stops. If you’re indoors, stay where you are and don’t run outside or into other rooms during an earthquake. You’ll be less likely to get injured if you stay where you are.

— The best place to take shelter inside the home or workplace is under the table, or any solid furniture that provides protection such as a desk or bed.

— Applying the rule of “take cover and remain stable”. If possible, and within the few seconds before the shaking intensifies, quickly move away from glass, hanging objects, bookcases, or other large furniture that may fall.

— Watch for items falling from stoves and fireplaces, lighting fixtures, items hanging on walls and high shelves, and cabinets with doors that can open.

— If you’re in bed, grab it and stay there, protecting your head with a pillow. You are less likely to get injured while you are in place. Broken glass on the ground can cause injury if you walk or roll on the ground.

— Do not try to get out of the shower, as this may lead to slipping and falling. And when the shaking stops you can get out of the shower.

— The best place to take shelter in an earthquake while you’re outside is to stay in an open area as far away from any walls, buildings, power lines or poles as possible.

— Stay away from buildings, utility wires, potholes, and fuel and gas lines. The greatest danger is falling debris just outside entrances and near exterior walls.

— Never run towards a beach, when strong underwater earthquakes occur, they may cause huge waves that go beyond the shore.

— If you are in a moving vehicle, stop as quickly and safely as possible, and move your vehicle to the side of the road or sidewalk, away from power poles, overhead wires, underpasses or overpasses.

— Turn on the radio to get the latest information and news, and to receive instructions and directives that may be issued by the competent authorities.

— Do not drive if a power line has fallen over the vehicle. If you try to escape from the car or drive away, you could be electrocuted.

— Stay as still as possible until help arrives, and if there are downed power lines nearby, don’t drive over them either.


Read Today's News TODAY... on our Telegram Channel click here to join and receive all the latest updates t.me/thetimeskuwait