Earth Quake Safety?

Question

In lieu of the earthquake in CA yesterday...and the increased chances of a really big one happening in the next few years, I was just wondering what the best advice in EarthQuake safety?

I'm not thrilled with the whole "duck and cover" idea. What I'm afraid of most is being in a building when it collapses. I know running outside can be dangerous. I live/work in an area with very few power lines and no other buildings around. My apartment is brand new and borders a parking lot and an empty lot, and my work building borders a park and a sod farm.

There seems to be so much contrary information in the internet, and I was just wondering what you guys thought.

Answer 1

If you have shelves, make sure all heavy items are placed on the lowest shelfs. Also, make sure you know where and how to turn off your gas, electricity, and water. During the earthquake, stay away from anything that can fall and harm you. Stay against a sturdy interior wall.

Answer 2

I live in SO CAL and barely felt the quake but that is because my home has a slab floor.  Duck and cover applies to buildings that you can not get out of quickly.  In the Loma Prieta quake and the Northridge quake the buildings that fell were typically multistory apartment buildings with parking underneath them.  The first floor were the parking was collapsed and in some cases the floor above also collapsed.

Since you don't work, or live, in a high rise, leaving the structure is a good idea, even if not necessary.  Leaving a high rise is not a good idea because of falling glass and debris.  All buildings built since the 70's have seismic resisting designs.  This means the buildings are not likely to fall down, completely.

Other types of failure are possible.  In Kobe Japan and some places during the Loma Prieta quake, the ground under the buildings  became very soft (liquefaction) during the quake and caused catastrophic structural failures.  So if you live, or work someplace that is land fill over what historically had been tidal lands, going outside quickly would be a good idea.

The point is there is no single answer as to what is best.  The setting will determine the best alternative.