• While the worst is over, it’s wise to protect yourself from further danger by putting on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes, and work gloves. This will protect you from further injury by broken objects. Given the weather, don’t forget to put on warm clothes and carry an umbrella at all times.
• Always seek professional help to rescue injured or trapped persons. Don’t try to move seriously injured people unless they are in immediate danger of further injury.
• Look for and extinguish small fires. Eliminate fire hazards. Putting out small fires quickly, using available resources, will prevent them from spreading. Fire is the most common hazard following earthquakes.
• Clean up spilled medicines, gasoline, or other flammable liquids immediately. Avoid the hazard of a chemical emergency.
• Once inside your house, open closet and cabinet doors cautiously. Contents may have shifted during the shaking of an earthquake and could fall, creating further damage or injury.
• Stay out of damaged buildings. They may be destroyed by aftershocks following the main quake. Examine walls, floor, doors, staircases, and windows to make sure that the building is not in danger of collapsing.
• When entering buildings, use extreme caution. Building damage may have occurred where you least expect it. Carefully watch every step you take.
• Help neighbors who may require special assistance. Elderly people and people with disabilities may require additional assistance. People who have large families may need additional assistance in emergency situations.
• Listen to a portable, battery-operated radio (or television) for updated emergency information and instructions. If the electricity is out, this may be your main source of information. Local radio and local officials provide the most appropriate advice for your particular situation. Don’t go after rumors of any kind. Earthquakes CANNOT be predicted.
• Expect aftershocks. Each time you feel one, drop, cover, and hold on. Aftershocks frequently occur minutes, days, and even weeks following an earthquake.
• Look for electrical system damage. If you see sparks or broken or frayed wires, or if you smell burning insulation, turn off the electricity at the main fuse box or circuit breaker.
• Use the telephone only to report life-threatening emergencies. Telephone lines are frequently overwhelmed in disaster situations. They need to be clear for emergency calls to get through.
• Watch animals closely. Leash dogs and place them in a fenced yard. The behavior of pets may change dramatically after an earthquake. Normally quiet and friendly cats and dogs may become aggressive or defensive.
• Maintain sanitation in and around your locality.
Related story
Post-2015 earthquake reshapes Nepal's construction industry
