In case of an earthquake

[c.a.]

http://www.kqed.org/quest/television/earthquakes-breaking-new-ground

http://www.kqed.org/quest/radio/predicting-the-next-big-one

http://www.kqed.org/quest/radio/lessons-from-chile

Three videos on the subject on earthquake's from KQED public television.  Also insight to Chile and possible future events in the California .

[c.a.]

I just heard in the news that there have been 6 mild earthquakes (4.7 the strongest) in the sea close to Paphos, NW coast of Cyprus. The seismologist who spoke said that the next 48 hours are crucial in showing whether that was it, or precursors. As i also read in sott, there have been several earthquakes around the world today.

Cyprus lies  where the Eurasian and African plates meet.

Alana Started this post on January 19, 2007, 09:54:41 AM and i thought it might be time for a review, given the activity around the the BBM.  A few necessary precautions for safety for your family and personal well being as to being prepared, for if and when the big one strikes.   Rather it be made made, or just a Sign Of The Times.   Good luck to all, and preparation "Will" be the key.

The information on this page is from materials created by the Emergency Survival Program (ESP) in 2006, and based on "The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety" in the handbook, Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country.
   
Handbook Icon
Putting Down Roots Handbook
   
Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety


The information on this page is from materials created by the Emergency Survival Program (ESP) in 2006, and based on "The Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety" in the handbook, Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country.

PREPARE
   

Step 1: Secure it now!

Reducing and/or eliminating hazards throughout your home, neighborhood, workplace and school can greatly reduce your risk of injury or death following the next earthquake or other disaster. Conduct a "hazard hunt" to help identify and fix things such as unsecured televisions, computers, bookcases, furniture, unstrapped water heaters, etc. Securing these items now will help to protect you tomorrow.

Download the Secure It Now! focus sheet (804 KB PDF -- courtesy Emergency Survival Program)
Step #1 in Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country
   

Step 2: Make a plan

Planning for an earthquake, terrorist attack, or other emergency is not much different from planning for a party or vacation. Make sure that your emergency plan includes evacuation and reunion plans; your out-of-state contact person's name and number; the location of your emergency supplies and other pertinent information. By planning now, you will be ready for the next emergency.

Download the Make a Plan focus sheet (436 KB PDF -- courtesy Emergency Survival Program)
Step #2 in Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country
   

Step 3: Make disaster kits

Everyone should have disaster supplies kits stored in accessible locations at home, at work and in your vehicle. Having emergency supplies readily available can reduce the impact of an earthquake, a terrorist incident or other emergency on you and your family. Your disaster supplies kits should include food, water, flashlights, portable radios, batteries, a first aid kit, cash, extra medications, a whistle, fire extinguisher, etc.

Download the Make Disaster Kits focus sheet (432 KB PDF -- courtesy Emergency Survival Program)
Step #3 in Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country
   

Step 4: Is your place safe?

Most houses are not as safe as they could be. Whether you are a homeowner or a renter, there are things that you can do to improve the structural integrity of your home. Some of the things that you might consider checking include inadequate foundations, unbraced cripple walls, soft first stories, unreinforced masonry and vulnerable pipes. Consult a contractor or engineer to help you identify your building's weaknesses and begin to fix them now.

Download the Is Your Place Safe? focus sheet (620 KB PDF -- courtesy Emergency Survival Program)
Step #4 in Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country
PROTECT
   

Step 5: DROP, COVER, and HOLD ON!

Learn what to do during an earthquake, whether you're at home, at work, at school or just out and about. Taking the proper actions, such as "Drop, Cover, and Hold On", can save lives and reduce your risk of death or injury. During earthquakes, drop to the floor, take cover under a sturdy desk or table, and hold on to it firmly. Be prepared to move with it until the shaking stops.

Download the Drop, Cover, and Hold On! focus sheet (480 KB PDF -- courtesy Emergency Survival Program)
Step #5 in Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country
RECOVER
   

Step 6: Check it out!

One of the first things you should do following a major disaster is to check for injuries and damages that need immediate attention. Make sure you are trained in first aid and in damage assessment techniques. You should be able to administer first aid and to identify hazards such as damaged gas, water, sewage and electrical lines. Be prepared to report damage to city or county government.

Download the Check It Out! focus sheet (560 KB PDF -- courtesy Emergency Survival Program)
Step #6 in Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country
   

Step 7: Communicate and recover!

Following a major disaster, communication will be an important step in your recovery efforts. Turn on your portable radio for information and safety advisories. If your home is damaged, contact your insurance agent right away to begin your claims process. For most Presidentially declared disasters, resources will also be available from federal, state, and local government agencies.

Download the Communicate and Recover! focus sheet (408 KB PDF -- courtesy Emergency Survival Program)
Step #7 in Putting Down Roots in Earthquake Country

http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/contents.html#contents

http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/socal.html

http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/steps.html

http://www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/basics.html

Earthquake Basics

Epicenter, hypocenter, aftershock, foreshock, fault, fault plane, seismograph, P-waves, magnitude, intensity, peak acceleration, amplification...

We hear them. After big earthquakes, we say them. But what do these terms mean? What do they mean for what we felt and what we will feel the next time? Do we really understand what seismologists are saying?

This section describes how earthquakes happen and how they are measured. It also explains why the same earthquake can shake one area differently than another area. It finishes with information we expect to learn after future earthquakes.

Earthquakes and Faults
What is an earthquake?

An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault, much like what happens when you snap your fingers. Before the snap, you push your fingers together and sideways. Because you are pushing them together, friction keeps them from moving to the side. When you push sideways hard enough to overcome this friction, your fingers move suddenly, releasing energy in the form of sound waves that set the air vibrating and travel from your hand to your ear, where you hear the snap.

The same process goes on in an earthquake. Stresses in the earth's outer layer push the side of the fault together. The friction across the surface of the fault holds the rocks together so they do not slip immediately when pushed sideways. Eventually enough stress builds up and the rocks slip suddenly, releasing energy in waves that travel through the rock to cause the shaking that we feel during an earthquake.

Just as you snap your fingers with the whole area of your fingertip and thumb, earthquakes happen over an area of the fault, called the rupture surface. However, unlike your fingers, the whole fault plane does not slip at once. The rupture begins at a point on the fault plane called the hypocenter, a point usually deep down on the fault. The epicenter is the point on the surface directly above the hypocenter. The rupture keeps spreading until something stops it (exactly how this happens is a hot research topic in seismology).

Aftershocks

Part of living with earthquakes is living with aftershocks. Earthquakes come in clusters. In any earthquake cluster, the largest one is called the mainshock; anything before it is a foreshock, and anything after it is an aftershock.

Aftershocks are earthquakes that usually occur near the mainshock. The stress on the mainshock's fault changes during the mainshock and most of the aftershocks occur on the same fault. Sometimes the change in stress is great enough to trigger aftershocks on nearby faults as well.

An earthquake large enough to cause damage will probably produce several felt aftershocks within the first hour. The rate of aftershocks dies off quickly. The day after the mainshock has about half the aftershocks of the first day. Ten days after the mainshock there are only a tenth the number of aftershocks. An earthquake will be called an aftershock as long as the rate of earthquakes is higher than it was before the mainshock. For big earthquakes this might go on for decades.

Bigger earthquakes have more and larger aftershocks. The bigger the mainshock, the bigger the largest aftershock, on average, though there are many more small aftershocks than large ones. Also, just as smaller earthquakes can continue to occur a year or more after a mainshock, there is still a chance for a large aftershock long after an earthquake.
Foreshocks

Sometimes what we think is a mainshock is followed by a larger earthquake. Then the original earthquake is considered a foreshock. The chance of this happening dies off quickly with time just like aftershocks. After three days the risk is almost gone.

Sometimes, the chance that an event is a foreshock seems higher than average — usually because of its proximity to a major fault. The Governor's Office of Emergency Services will then issue an advisory based on scientists' recommendations. These are the only officially recognized short-term "predictions."
What is a fault?

Earthquakes occur on faults. A fault is a thin zone of crushed rock separating blocks of the earth's crust. When an earthquake occurs on one of these faults, the rock on one side of the fault slips with respect to the other. Faults can be centimeters to thousands of kilometers (fractions of an inch to thousands of miles) long. The fault surface can be vertical, horizontal, or at some angle to the surface of the earth. Faults can extend deep into the earth and may or may not extend up to the earth's surface.
How do we know a fault exists?

    * Past fault movement has brought together rocks that used to be farther apart;
    * Earthquakes on the fault have left surface evidence, such as surface ruptures or fault scarps (cliffs made by earthquakes);
    * Earthquakes recorded by seismographic networks are mapped and indicate the location of a fault.

Some faults have not shown these signs and we will not know they are there until they produce a large earthquake. Several damaging earthquakes in California have occurred on faults that were previously unknown.

Carrizo Plain National Monument along the San Andreas fault
How do we study faults?

Surface features that have been broken and offset by the movement of faults are used to determine how fast the faults move and thus how often earthquakes are likely to occur. For example, a streambed that crosses the San Andreas fault near Los Angeles is now offset 83 meters (91 yards) from its original course. The sediments in the abandoned streambed are about 2,500 years old. If we assume movement on the San Andreas has cut off that streambed within the last 2,500 years, then the average slip rate on the fault is 33 millimeters (1.3 inches) per year. This does not mean the fault slips 33 millimeters each year. Rather, it stores up 33 millimeters of slip each year to be released in infrequent earthquakes. The last earthquake offset the streambed another 5 meters (16 feet). If we assume that all earthquakes have 5 meters (5000 millimeters) of slip, we will have earthquakes on average every 150 years: 5000 millimeters divided by 33 millimeters per year equals 150 years. This does not mean the earthquakes will be exactly 150 years apart. While the San Andreas fault has averaged 150 years between events, earthquakes have occurred as few as 45 years and as many as 300 years apart.

[Keit]

Alana Started this post on January 19, 2007, 09:54:41 AM and i thought it might be time for a review, given the activity around the the BBM.  A few necessary precautions for safety for your family and personal well being as to being prepared, for if and when the big one strikes.   Rather it be made made, or just a Sign Of The Times.   Good luck to all, and preparation "Will" be the key.

Hi c.a,

Thanks for compiling the information. Just a note that there are several other threads on this topic on the forum (perhaps they should be combined?) that also mention Doug Copp's (Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI)) "triangle of life" safety procedure that is different from what is usually advised, like ducking under tables or other objects.

Here is the relevant thread.

edit:spelling

[c.a.]

 Keit  Today at 01:05:19 AM

Hi c.a,
Thanks for compiling the information. Just a note that there are several other threads on this topic on the forum (perhaps they should be combined?) that also mention Doug Copp's (Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI)) "triangle of life" safety procedure that is different from what is usually advised, like ducking under tables or other objects.

Thanks Keit, for bring this important aspect referred as the "triangle of life".  It is a very controversial subject to what to do and what ones response should be.  Know one knows where they will find themselves and what condition's, environments, or time of day.  

There is a tremendous amount of conflict in both ideas and certain limitations to both theories, in regards to a building going in to pancaking when there is an earthquake.  It is also a mixed bag on what one should do and when.  

Certain buildings made of certain building materials.  The country one lives in as well as the building codes are that mandated that may help in preventing or instigating a building to pancaking.
So again it is a mixed bag to where one position's themselves during a tremble.

Brick buildings, there age, stone buildings there age, and made without reinforcement's inlaid in the motor process.  Also as well are  tilt up slab concrete factory building's.  I can perhaps only think that one consider the home, work place, the roads most traveled (as to the routine in life movement's in daily activities) are primary considerations to these important thoughts before the earth quakes.

"Awareness" rooted in "Knowledge" will also be advantageous!

From www.earthquakecountry.info
Article: Protect Yourself during an Earthquake...Drop, Cover. and Hold On!


WHAT RESCUERS AND EXPERTS *DO NOT* RECOMMEND YOU DO DURING AN EARTHQUAKE

Based on years of research about how people are injured or killed during earthquakes, and the experiences of U.S. and international search and rescue teams, these three actions are not recommended to protect yourself during earthquakes:

DO NOT run outside or to other rooms during shaking: The area near the exterior walls of a building is the most dangerous place to be. Windows, facades and architectural details are often the first parts of the building to collapse. To stay away from this danger zone, stay inside if you are inside and outside if you are outside. Also, shaking can be so strong that you will not be able to move far without falling down, and objects may fall or be thrown at you that you do not expect. Injuries can be avoided if you drop to the ground before the earthquake drops you.

DO NOT stand in a doorway: An enduring earthquake image of California is a collapsed adobe home with the door frame as the only standing part. From this came our belief that a doorway is the safest place to be during an earthquake. True- if you live in an old, unreinforced adobe house or some older woodframe houses. In modern houses, doorways are no stronger than any other part of the house, and the doorway does not protect you from the most likely source of injury- falling or flying objects. You also may not be able to brace yourself in the door during strong shaking. You are safer under a table.

DO NOT get in the "triangle of life": In recent years, an e-mail has been circulating which describes an alternative to the long-established "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" advice. The so-called "triangle of life" and some of the other actions recommended in the e-mail are potentially life threatening, and the credibility of the source of these recommendations has been broadly

The "triangle of life" advice (always get next to a table rather than underneath it) is based on several wrong assumptions:

:Buildings always collapse in earthquakes (wrong- especially in developed nations, and flat "pancake" collapse is rare anywhere);
when buildings collapse they always crush all furniture inside (wrong- people DO survive under furniture or other shelters);

:People can always anticipate how their building might collapse and anticipate the location of survivable void spaces (wrong- the direction of shaking and unique structural aspects of the building make this nearly impossible) ; and during strong shaking people can move to a desired location (wrong- strong shaking can make moving very difficult and dangerous).

:Some other recommendations in the "triangle of life" e-mail are also based on wrong assumptions and very hazardous.

For example, the recommendation to get out of your car during an earthquake and lay down next to it assumes that there is always an elevated freeway above you that will fall and crush your car. Of course there are very few elevated freeways, and laying next to your car is very dangerous because the car can move and crush you, and other drivers may not see you on the ground! A compilation of rebuttals from many organizations to these alternative recommendations, as well as news articles about the controversy, is listed at left.

PRACTICE THE RIGHT THING TO DO… IT COULD SAVE YOUR LIFE

You will be more likely to react quickly when shaking begins if you have actually practiced how to protect yourself on a regular basis. A great time to practice Drop, Cover, and Hold On is by participating in the Great California ShakeOut this October (and soon in other areas).

More information about what to do during an earthquake can be found at www.earthquakecountry.info/roots/step5.html.[/quote]

American Red Cross response to "Triangle of Life" by Doug Copp
Sent from
Rocky Lopes, PhD
Manager, Community Disaster Education
American Red Cross National Headquarters
Recently it has been brought to my attention that an email from Doug Copp, titled "Triangle of Life," is making its rounds again on the Internet. "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" is CORRECT, accurate, and APPROPRIATE for use in the United States for Earthquake safety. Mr. Copp's assertions in his message that everyone is always crushed if they get under something is incorrect.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recently, the American Red Cross became aware of a challenge to the earthquake safety advice "Drop, Cover, and Hold On." This is according to information from Mr. Doug Copp, the Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of American Rescue Team International (a private company not affiliated with the U.S. Government or other agency.) He says that going underneath objects during an earthquake [as in children being told to get under their desks at school] is very dangerous, and fatal should the building collapse in a strong earthquake. He also states that "everyone who gets under a doorway when a building collapses is killed." He further states that "if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, to roll out of bed next to it," and he also says that "If an earthquake happens while you are watching television and you cannot easily escape by getting out the door or window, then lie down and curl up in the fetal position next to a sofa, or large chair." These recommendations are inaccurate for application in the United States and inconsistent with information developed through earthquake research. Mr. Copp based his statements on observations of damage to buildings after an earthquake in Turkey. It is like "apples and oranges" to compare building construction standards, techniques, engineering principles, and construction materials between Turkey and the United States.

We at the American Red Cross have studied the research on the topic of earthquake safety for many years. We have benefited from extensive research done by the California Office of Emergency Services, California Seismic Safety Commission, professional and academic research organizations, and emergency management agencies, who have also studied the recommendation to "drop, cover, and hold on!" during the shaking of an earthquake. Personally, I have also benefited from those who preceded me in doing earthquake education in California since the Field Act was passed in 1933.

What the claims made by Mr. Copp of ARTI, Inc., does not seem to distinguish is that the recommendation to "drop, cover, and hold on!" is a U.S.-based recommendation based on U.S. Building Codes and construction standards. Much research in the United States has confirmed that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On!" has saved lives in the United States. Engineering researchers have demonstrated that very few buildings collapse or "pancake" in the U.S. as they might do in other countries. Using a web site to show one picture of one U.S. building that had a partial collapse after a major quake in an area with thousands of buildings that did not collapse during the same quake is inappropriate and misleading.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which collects data on injuries and deaths from all reportable causes in the U.S., as well as data from three University-based studies performed after the Loma Prieta (September, 1989) and Northridge (January, 1994) earthquakes in California, the following data are indicated: Loma Prieta: 63 deaths, approximately 3,700 people were injured. Most injuries happened as a result of the collapse of the Cypress Street section of I-880 in Oakland. Northridge: 57 deaths, 1,500 serious injuries. Most injuries were from falls caused by people trying to get out of their homes, or serious cuts and broken bones when people ran, barefooted, over broken glass (the earthquake happened in the early morning on a federal holiday when many people were still in bed.) There were millions of people in each of these earthquake-affected areas, and of those millions, many of them reported to have "dropped, covered, and held on" during the shaking of the earthquake.

We contend that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On" indeed SAVED lives, not killed people. Because the research continues to demonstrate that, in the U.S., "Drop, Cover, and Hold On!" works, the American Red Cross remains behind that recommendation. It is the simplest, reliable, and easiest method to teach people, including children.

The American Red Cross has not recommended use of a doorway for earthquake protection for more than a decade. The problem is that many doorways are not built into the structural integrity of a building, and may not offer protection. Also, simply put, doorways are not suitable for more than one person at a time.

The Red Cross, remaining consistent with the information published in "Talking About Disaster: Guide for Standard Messages," (visit http://www.disastereducation.org/guide.html ) states that if you are in bed when an earthquake happens, remain there. Rolling out of bed may lead to being injured by debris on the floor next to the bed. If you have done a good job of earthquake mitigation (that is, removing pictures or mirrors that could fall on a bed; anchoring tall bedroom furniture to wall studs, and the like), then you are safer to stay in bed rather than roll out of it during the shaking of an earthquake.

Also, the Red Cross strongly advises not try to move (that is, escape) during the shaking of an earthquake. The more and the longer distance that someone tries to move, the more likely they are to become injured by falling or flying debris, or by tripping, falling, or getting cut by damaged floors, walls, and items in the path of escape. Identifying potential "void areas" and planning on using them for earthquake protection is more difficult to teach, and hard to remember for people who are not educated in earthquake engineering principles. The Red Cross is not saying that identifying potential voids is wrong or inappropriate. What we are saying is that "Drop, Cover, and Hold On!" is NOT wrong -- in the United States. The American Red Cross, being a U.S.-based organization, does not extend its recommendations to apply in other countries. What works here may not work elsewhere, so there is no dispute that the "void identification method" or the "Triangle of Life" may indeed be the best thing to teach in other countries where the risk of building collapse, even in moderate earthquakes, is great.

Surviving an Earthquake
 
By  Aisha El-Awady
 
Crews desperately search for survivors in what remains of a school building in Bingol, Turkey, last May
 
Chances are that you are one of the many millions of people who have experienced or at least know someone who has experienced a significant earthquake. Several major earthquakes have been experienced by millions of people around the world.
Of the most devastating is the earthquake that hit Southeast Asia at the end of the year 2004, resulting in a tsunami which caused destruction on a horrific scale. In the past there has been other earthquakes which awake painful memories as well, such as the 6.4 magnitude quake that hit Eastern Turkey on May 1, 2003, the 6.8 magnitude quake that caused thousands of deaths and injuries in Algiers on May 21, 2003, and the 7.0 magnitude quake that occurred near the east coast of Honshu, Japan on May 26, 2003.

Earthquakes are a frightening and destructive phenomenon of nature caused by the sudden movement of the earth's crust and can cause death, injuries and widespread damage to property when they occur in populated areas. It is therefore a good idea to have ready a plan in case an earthquake hits an area in which you are located.

Things to do Before an Earthquake

Since most deaths and injuries during earthquakes are due to the collapse of buildings, broken glass, and falling objects such as furniture or power lines, certain precautions should be taken beforehand. It is always recommended to have a plan and for you and your family to practice it, so that the few precious moments you need to save your life will not be wasted on panic.

It is a good idea to keep a few things such as a flashlight, a first aid kit, and a supply of water, food and essential medicines in your home. Family members should all know how to shut off water, gas and electricity. Heavy objects should always be kept below head level and bookcases, cabinets and cupboards that may topple over should be anchored securely to the wall. Family members should also know emergency telephone numbers and have a planned place of reunion in case of separation.

The Triangle of Life

  
The triangle of life
If you do encounter an earthquake, the best thing to do is to stay calm. If you are indoors in a tall building, resist the urge to run outdoors. Two places to avoid in buildings are stairways and elevators. During an earthquake, a stairway will have a different frequency of motion than the rest of the building due to its construction and will therefore react differently. In a vibration collapse it is the most likely part of the building to fall first especially if it is carrying the extra weight of people trying to escape (Wisconsin Search and Rescue).

The most common advice given on how to react when an earthquake is felt is to duck and cover. This method, which many of us have been taught in school drills, claims that the safest place to be in such an event is under a heavy object such as a desk, table or under a doorway which would supposedly save you from the falling debris. However, according to the Wisconsin Search and Rescue (WISAR), data collected from numerous catastrophic situations by the American Rescue Team International (ARTI) and the United Nations International Search and Rescue Advisory Group (INSARAG) has shown that the duck and cover method is not the right way to avoid getting crushed and might even increase your chances of getting crushed!

According to the American Rescue Team International (ARTI), the best way to avoid getting squashed is to curl up in areas most likely to become voids in case of the building collapsing. Voids are spaces created around large objects such as a desk, bed, couch, filing cabinet etc., and if a person is in a void when the building collapses, he will most likely survive.

The ARTI and the University of Istanbul in Turkey experimented (using test dummies) on what happens inside collapsing buildings. The dummies were all placed in the duck and cover position and were videotaped as the buildings were intentionally collapsed. They were all crushed or chopped into pieces as the objects they were taking cover under collapsed under the weight of the falling debris.

It took the collaboration of scientists, engineers and rescue workers to finally come to the discovery of the triangle-of-life. According to WISAR, there are four basic patterns of collapse: Lean-To, V, Pancake, and Cantilever.

In a Lean-To collapse, one wall gives way while the opposite wall stays standing in place. The ceiling will therefore fall on one side but stay held up on the other side by the remaining wall. A triangle is formed by the floor, sidewall, and the ceiling that makes an angle with the floor. A void will therefore be found under the ceiling next to the standing wall.

In a V collapse, both sidewalls remain standing while the ceiling collapses to the inside of the building. This gives an ‘M' shape from the outside or a ‘V' shape on the inside caused by the collapsed ceiling. Voids will be found here along the outer walls under the collapsed ceiling.

A Pancake collapse occurs when both walls and the ceiling fall and become stacked on top of each other and the floor. This is the most dangerous type of collapse and causes the most deaths. Duck and cover in this case is deadly as objects are squashed under the weight of the building. Voids in such a collapse are most likely to be found next to and not under large objects.

In a Cantilever collapse, part of the building collapses while the remainder of it remains intact, as if the building was cut in half from top to bottom. Survival in the collapsed portion will be haphazard.

In reasonably tall buildings (5 to 10 stories high) it is generally safer to be situated on the upper floors in cases of earthquakes since the lower floors become more completely crushed under the weight of the upper floors, however you can not depend on a void upholding itself during a multiple level collapse (WISAR).

In short, although you can not predict how a building will fall in case of an earthquake, generally, the safest place to be is next to a large, sturdy object such as a desk or even in front of a couch or the side of a bed with your head lower than the upper surface of that object. Curl up into the foetus position so as to minimize injury to body parts by falling debris and put your hands behind you head for protection.

Earthquake Survivors and Crush Syndrome

Surviving the collapse of a building may not be the only thing to worry about in case of an earthquake. Even when a person survives the collapse, extreme care must be taken during removal of such individuals from under the rubble.

In cases where a large bulk of muscle has been crushed under the rubble or under a heavy object during the quake, a condition known as ‘crush syndrome' may develop. When such a body part is extracted from under the compressing object, the damaged muscle releases muscle pigment, potassium, creatinine, lactic acid, and other substances into the circulation. Renal failure may result from shock and also from the accumulation of muscle pigment (myoglobin) in the kidney tubules. Excess potassium may cause the heart to stop pumping leading to sudden cardiac arrest and death.

If not treated properly, this syndrome may lead to the death of the injured person. The first rule in avoiding crush syndrome is to NEVER suddenly lift a heavy object that has fallen onto someone unless it is pressing on his chest, abdomen or head. Intravenous fluids should be administered immediately after or even while the person is still trapped. The earlier this is initiated the better the chances are of preventing kidney failure.

Antibiotics are also recommended for these individuals to prevent infections that could contribute to kidney failure. In conclusion, it's of utmost importance that all earthquake survivors be properly assessed by a medical team before being moved and to be taken to the nearest medical facility available.

Sources:


CERI, 2001: Earthquake Survival.
dePolo, Craig, Ramelli, Alan and dePolo, Diane. Earthquakes in Nevada and how to survive them. Seismo.unr.edu.
The American Rescue Team International, 2000: The Knowledge To Keep You Alive!
WISAR, 2003: Triangle of Life.
Virtual Naval Hospital, 1997-2003: Emergency War Surgery NATO Handbook: Part III: General Considerations of Wound Management: Chapter XVII: Crush Injury.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
Aisha El-Awady M.D is an editor at the Health and Science section of IslamOnline.net. She is currently working as Lecturer of Parasitology at the Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University. She may be contacted at sciencetech@islamonline.net

 

[c.a.]

I ask the timing of this perdition, and the results that could become of the lives lost, and the break down of the California economy, already running on empty.  Also the significant impact to the entire nation as a whole?  It seems that if it is nature induced, and or ( Psychopath ) man made, it will fit the bill of PTB efforts to bring major changes, as means to implement laws, in the chaos called (NW) Order. I know nothing about this site nor know its roots.

Major Earthquake Overdue for San Andreas Fault in Southern California says Researchers

Submitted by Nicole Wilson on August 22, 2010 - 2:48pm.
California | News | Science and Technology | Scientific Discovery
 
Best Syndication News www.bestsyndication.com
 
 

(Best Syndication News) - Researchers from UC Irvine and Arizona State University think that the activity of the San Andreas Fault is very likely to have a major earthquake soon for the Southern California area. The study will be published in the Sept. 1, issue of the journal Geology.

The last big earthquake the researchers say was in 1857, which is over 150 years ago. The trend for the Carrizo Plain portion of the San Andreas fault would have large ruptures occuring around every 45 to 144 years. The Carrizo Plain is located around 100 miles northwest of Los Angeles. Previous studies of the San Andreas fault estimated large earthquakes every 250 to 400 years, which the researchers say is not correct. The major earthquakes on the San Andreas Fault Line have produced 6.5 and 7.9 magnitude tremors.

 UCI seismologist Lisa Grant Ludwig, principal investigator on the study said that the data "puts the exclamation point" for Southern California residents to be prepared for the big earthquake. Individuals should make sure to have extra water and food and emergency supplies on hand. They should also establish a family emergency plan. That way family members will now where to meet each other or contact each other in the event of a disaster.

The data that the researchers studied goes back 700 years for the quakes in the area. While the researchers suggest the fault could be having a natural lull, it is probably more likely that the big earthquake is going to happen anytime soon.

By: N Wilson

Preparedness Now (2008 version)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opXZY1zZ8xk

Important: The material on Best Syndication is for informational purposes only and is not meant to be advice. Authors may have or will receive monetary compensation from the company's product/s mentioned. You should always seek professional advice before making any legal, financial or medical decisions and this website cannot substitute or replace any trained professional consultation.
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[c.a.]

Panic will be one of the biggest obstacle's to deal with and the stampede atmosphere that accommodates the flight or fight syndrome associated with adrenaline.

Earthquake Destruction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y-62Ti5_6s


National Geographic http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/?source=4001

Aftermath in Santa Cruz chile
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiZZVTEAR40


Earthquakes 101 National Geographic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfDEakhlipQ


Inside Earthquakes National Geographic
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JWOH2EhC1KM

[c.a.]

September 6, 2010: Reuters

UPDATE 1-Aftershocks rattle quake-hit NZ city, mkts muted

* Aftershocks rattle city, central Christchurch closed

* State of emergency extended until Wednesday

* Market reaction limited, kiwi dlr steady, bonds fall

* Standard & Poor's say quake no threat to NZ rating (Updates with detail, comment, ratings agency)

WELLINGTON, Sept 6 (Reuters) - Aftershocks rocked New Zealand's second-biggest city on Monday causing further damage and forcing authorities to extend a state of emergency after the country's most damaging earthquake in 80 years.

More than 20 aftershocks, the strongest with a magnitude of 4.8, were felt through Monday, sending already loose masonry and bricks in damaged buildings crashing into the streets.

However, despite early estimates of a NZ$2 billion ($1.4 billion) repair bill, financial markets were little affected and followed broader market moves, which pushed the New Zealand dollar higher and debt lower.

Prime Minister John Key said as many as 100,000 homes, about two out of every three in the region, may have been damaged to some degree by the magnitude 7.1 quake which struck early on Saturday.

"The above-ground damage is obvious, but it could take some time to understand just how much damage there is to underground infrastructure," Key told a news conference.

Power and water supplies have been restored to most of the region, but about 200 people are staying in emergency shelters.

The region has been hit by more than 100 aftershocks, the strongest measuring magnitude 5.4, causing more damage and forcing the Christchurch City Council to extend the closure of the central business district until Wednesday.

Quick action was taken to demolish some of the most severely damaged buildings as aftershocks sent debris crashing to the street.

"It had to be bulldozed down, they couldn't do anything with it, but it's distressing to see it like that," said Ken Fisk after his barber shop was pulled down.

"CONSIDERABLE DISRUPTION"

The epicentre of the quake was about 20 km (12 miles) to the west of Christchurch, a city of 350,000, which supports the agricultural-based economy of New Zealand's South Island.

A seismologist said the quake looked to have been triggered by movement in an unknown fault.

"Before Saturday, there was nothing in the landscape that would have suggested there was an active fault beneath these areas," said Kelvin Berryman of GNS Science.

The quake had caused a 22 km (12 mile) long rip in the earth, with fissures of up to 4 metres (12 feet), he said.

Key said the government and local authorities had sufficient resources to cover the immediate disruption but the broader economy would suffer.

"There will be considerable disruption to both the Canterbury (region) and national economy in the short term due to a loss in activity as people and businesses deal with the aftermath of the quake," Key said reporters.

"But looking a little further out, there should be an increase in activity once reconstruction and repair work kick into full gear."

Ratings agency Standard and Poor's said the quake would not affect New Zealand's sovereign rating, but might lead to a one notch downgrade for the Christchurch City Council.

The quake was among the 10 strongest recorded in New Zealand, which sits between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates, and records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which about 20 top magnitude 5.0.

It was the most damaging quake in New Zealand since the North Island city of Napier was devastated in 1931. The last fatal quake was in 1968 when an earthquake measuring 7.1 killed three people on the South Island's West Coast. ($1=NZ$1.39) (Reporting by Adrian Bathgate/Gyles Beckford)

Enter At Your Own Risk -- But Check The Aftershocks Probabilities
Science News

ScienceDaily (Oct. 11, 1999) — When is a badly damaged, but stable building safe to enter after an earthquake? That is a question that safety-response and building-department officials have to answer in order to let occupants retrieve important possessions and business records, and to let contractors begin emergency repairs. The obvious time to stay out of a building is immediately following the earthquake and until the aftershocks subside. But those aftershocks can last for days or weeks, as evidenced by recent large earthquakes in Turkey and Taiwan. And so, the dilemma for earthquake survivors is knowing how soon they can go in and how long they may safely stay in the structure in order to search for survivors and retrieve possessions.


A recent "tech brief" prepared by the Applied Technology Council (ATC), in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey, offers guidelines for entering earthquake-damaged buildings under emergency conditions. The guidelines are based on engineering research by ATC members and aftershock research by scientists at the USGS in Menlo Park, Calif. These guidelines are linked to the ATC post-earthquake building safety evaluation procedures referred to as ATC-20. These procedures are widely used by building departments to identify and "flag" unsafe buildings.


How soon a badly damaged but stable building can be entered and how long persons should stay in it, depends on the degree of damage to the building, the probability of and the size of aftershocks and the urgency of the need to enter, according to the brief's authors: Ronald P. Gallagher of Gallagher Associates; Chris D. Poland of Degenkolb Engineers; and Paul A. Reasenberg, of the USGS. Tables that summarize the degree of risk for structures, based on the amount of initial damage and the probabilities for aftershocks, are included in the report, with color codes from yellow to red to denote the degrees of risk.


These ATC procedures, which are currently used by many jurisdictions in California, use color-coded tags on buildings as soon as safety inspectors and emergency-response personnel can make a preliminary survey of the buildings. Because such inspections cannot be done immediately on every structure, following a large earthquake, ATC TechBrief 2, "Earthquake Aftershocks; Entering Damaged Buildilngs," offers the following guidelines about aftershocks and building safety:


The greater the magnitude of the earthquake and the stronger and longer the shaking, the greater the chances for strong and numerous aftershocks.


If damage was heavy in the mainshock, the site is more likely to experience additional damage from aftershocks.


A mainshock large enough to cause damage will probably be followed by several felt aftershocks within the first hour.


Aftershocks decrease in number and magnitude, with time. Generally speaking, the second day will have approximately half the number of aftershocks as the first day and one-tenth as many on the tenth day.


Except for life-saving rescues, entry into seriously damaged buildings should be avoided during the first 24 hours following a mainshock.


If a damaged building must be entered following a strong mainshock, the time inside should be kept at a minimum.


As a general rule, following a 6.5 or greater earthquake, three days should elapse before a damaged building should be occupied for up to eight hours at a time. Five additional days should elapse before the building is occupied for 24 hours at a time.

Scientists at the USGS began forecasting aftershocks, following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. Now, following an earthquake in California of magnitude 5 or larger, the USGS posts the probability of strong aftershocks on its Web site http://quake.wr.usgs.gov.

The ATC Tech Brief on "Earthquake Aftershocks--Entering Damaged Buildings" may be downloaded from ATC's Web site http://www.atcouncil.org, or copies may be ordered from: Applied Technology Council, 555 Twin Dolphin Drive #550, Redwood City, CA 94065. [/quote