DRRR Disaster Preparedness Handout |1
EARTHQUAKE
An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by sudden slippage of rock masses below or at
the surface of the earth. It is a wavelike movement of the earth’s surface. An earthquake may
be classified as either tectonic or volcanic. In certain cases, earthquakes can result from man-
made activities such as detonation of explosives, deep mining activities, etc. However, these
earthquakes are mild and may be felt only as tremors. A very severe earthquake is usually
associated with shocks called foreshocks and aftershocks. Foreshocks are a series of tremors
that occur before the main earthquake. Aftershocks are weaker earthquakes that follow the
main shocks and can cause further damage to weakened buildings. Be aware that some
earthquakes are actually foreshocks, and a stronger earthquake might occur.
Preparedness and Mitigation (What to do before):
• Recommend to appropriate authorities the evaluation of structural soundness of
buildings and important infrastructures.
• Request appropriate authorities to determine whether the building is along an active
fault and/or in liquefaction or landslide prone areas which may cause buildings to fall.
• Make sure that building design complies with the National Building Code Standard.
• On existing buildings with one door, request proper authorities to provide two exit
doors for every room, both with swing-out direction.
• Check for the presence of other potential sources of hazard due to secondary effect of
earthquakes like steep hill slopes, hanging heavy objects, dams, storage tanks, falling debris,
and fi re.
• Strap heavy furniture/cabinets inside your homes to the wall to prevent sliding or
toppling;
• Store breakable items, harmful chemicals and flammable materials inside your homes in
the lowermost shelves and secure firmly.
• Install latches on drawers and cabinets.
DRRR Disaster Preparedness Handout |2
• Check your homes for hanging or unstable objects that may fall on the students during
the earthquake.
• Familiarize the easiest exit or evacuation route to take. Develop a Home Evacuation
Plan and hang/post this in the walls of your house.
“Drop, Cover, and Hold”
The “Drop, Cover and Hold” protocol (drop to the floor, cover your head, and hold on to a solid
object), when performed correctly with an awareness of your surroundings, remains the most
effective way to protect yourself when an earthquake occurs.
• Learn how to use fire extinguishers, first aid kits, alarms and emergency exits. These
should also be accessible, conveniently located, and prominently marked in familiar places
• Do not use the elevator during and after an earthquake. Structure or power failure may
lead you to get stranded in the elevator.
• Identify strong parts of the building like door jambs, near elevator shafts, sturdy tables
where you can take refuge during an earthquake.
• Prepare and maintain an earthquake survival kit consisting of a battery-powered radio,
flashlight,
first aid kit, potable water, candies, ready to eat food, whistle, and dust mask.
• Conduct a contingency planning on earthquake.
DRRR Disaster Preparedness Handout |3
Response (What to do during):
• Stay inside a structurally sound building.
• Protect their body from falling debris by bracing themselves in a doorway or by getting
under a sturdy desk or table.
• When inside a vehicle, pull to the side of the road and stop. Do not attempt to cross
bridges or overpasses which may have been damaged.
• Move to an open area when they are outside a building or any structure.
• Stay away from power lines, posts, walls, and move away from steep escarpments
which may be affected by landslides particularly if they are on a mountain or near steep hill
slopes.
Rehabilitation (What to do after):
Take the fastest and safest way out if caught in an old or weak home building.
• Get out calmly and in an orderly manner. Not to rush or push one another.
• Not to use elevators, but instead use the stairs;
• Check themselves for cuts and for injuries and approach the nearest learner for
assistance.
• Check the surroundings of the schools
• Call the authority to clean up chemical spills, toxic and fl ammable materials
since this is hazardous to untrained people.
• Check for fire and if any, have it controlled.
DRRR Disaster Preparedness Handout |4
Suggested Contents of an Earthquake Survival Kit
Water at least 1 liter per person (up to 1 gallon per person)
First Aid Kit with critical basic medication
First Aid Manual / Survival Manual
Canned food and can opener
Nutritional foodbars
Blankets
AM/FM Radio and two-way radios, battery operated
Spare batteries, rechargeable batteries
Flashlight with batteries / emergency shake fl ashlights
Emergency Lightsticks
Watch or clock
Toilet paper and other hygiene items (soap, shampoo)
Newspapers
Candles and matches
Whistles or small bells, emergency alarm
Sharp utility knives
Rope or nylon cords
Plastic tape , duct tape
Pen and paper
Work gloves
Tools (pry bar, swiss army knife, wrench, pliers, bolt cutters, hack saw, etc)
Dust masks
Cellphone and solar cellphone and battery charger and emergency contact numbers
• Check the water and electrical lines for defects. If any damage is suspected, turn the
system off in the main valve or switch.
• Help reduce the number of casualties from the earthquake:
• Do not enter partially damaged buildings, as strong aftershocks may cause these to
collapse.
• Gather information and disaster prevention instructions from battery-operated radios.
• The School Head/Principal shall provide safety precautions. He/She shall not allow any
student to go out of the school unless they are with their parents/relatives. Identify/List
pupils/students fetched by parents/relatives and those left behind.
• Do not use the telephone to call relatives and friends. Disaster prevention authorities
may need the lines for emergency calls and communications.
DRRR Disaster Preparedness Handout |5
• Do not drive into damaged areas. Rescue and relief operations need the roads for
mobility.
• If there is a need to evacuate, apply the buddybuddy system and follow orders from the
Principal/School Head. Wait for your parents to fetch you from the evacuation area and inform
the Principal/School Head if you will leave the area.
• Take with you your Earthquake Survival Kit, which contains all the necessary items for
your protection and comfort.
Tsunami
Tsunamis are giant sea waves generated by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions under the
seabed. Not all submarine earthquakes, however, cause tsunamis. Tsunamis can only occur
when the earthquake is strong enough (M7.0+) to displace the seabed, creating pressures in the
water above it. Other sources of tsunamis include submarine or coastal landslides, pyroclastic
flow and large volume debris avalanches from oceanic and partly submerged volcanoes, and
caldera collapse. Although tsunamis may be triggered in various ways, their effects on the
coastal areas are similar. The large waves of a tsunami are preceded by initial lowering of the
water level even beyond the lowest tidal levels. This phenomenon resembles the low tides
which may have led to tsunamis being falsely called “tidal waves”. Tsunamis generated in
distant locations will generally give people enough time to move to higher ground. For locally-
generated tsunamis, where you might feel the ground shake, you may only have a few minutes
to move to higher ground.
Preparedness and Mitigation (What to do before):
• Conduct school advocacy on tsunami awareness, preparedness and mitigation. Regular
tsunami drills should be conducted.
• Turn on your radio and other communication devices to know if there is a tsunami
warning if an earthquake occurs and if you are in a coastal area.
• Be aware of the tsunami facts. This knowledge could save your life! Share this
knowledge with your friends. It could save their lives!
DRRR Disaster Preparedness Handout |6
• If you are in school and you hear there is a tsunami warning, you should follow the
advice of teachers and other school personnel.
Response (What to do during):
• CAUTION: Move away from the beach immediately, if there is noticeable recession in
water away from the shoreline.
• Move inland to predetermined higher ground immediately and stay there.
• Stay away from the beach. Never go down to the beach to watch a tsunami coming.
• High, multi-story, reinforced concrete buildings are located in some low-lying coastal
areas. The upper floors of these buildings can provide a safe place to find refuge should there
be a tsunami warning and you cannot move quickly inland to higher ground. Local Civil Defense
procedures may, however, not allow this type of evacuation in your area.
• Small buildings located in low-lying coastal areas are not designed to withstand tsunami
impacts. Do not stay in these structures should there be a tsunami warning.
• Offshore reefs and shallow areas may help break the force of tsunami waves, but large and
dangerous waves can still be a threat to coastal residents in these areas. Staying away from all
low-lying areas is the safest advice when there is a tsunami warning.
Rehabilitation (What to do after):
• Stay away from flooded and damaged areas until officials say it is safe to return.
• Stay away from debris in the water; it may pose a safety hazard to boats and people.
• Save yourself – not your possessions.
DRRR Disaster Preparedness Handout |7
Volcanic Eruption
A Volcanic Eruption is a process wherein volcanic materials such as molten or hot fragmented
rocks or gaseous materials are ejected from a volcano. Hazards from volcanoes may be of
different nature. These hazards include flowing of fast-moving molten rocks and other ejecta.
The ejected fragments range in size from fi ne dust (volcanic ash) to large boulders (volcanic
bombs or blocks). Besides liquid and solid materials, volcanoes give off poisonous gases,
sometimes in superheated gas jets.
Other hazards associated with volcanic eruption are earthquakes, fissuring caused by the force
of upward-moving magma, tsunami and water displacement, subsidence due to retreat or
withdrawal of magma, landslides due to too much bulging on one side of the volcano or those
triggered by earthquakes or rainfall.
Preparedness and Mitigation (What to do before):
• Consult available volcano hazard maps that indicate areas declared as permanent
danger zones.
• Bring animals and livestock into closed services offices.
• Be aware of the kinds of volcanic hazards present in your area. Determine the distance
of your residence, workplace and livelihood from the volcano.
• Be aware of the meaning of the alert levels, and recommended actions. Make sure your
family emergency plan has taken into consideration.
• Be aware of the assigned evacuation centers in your community.
Response (What to do during):
• Stay inside the house or evacuation area. Do not go sightseeing.
• Listen to the radio for advice and information.
• If you are very near the volcano, leave the area immediately. If caught in ashfall or
tephra fall, seek shelter immediately. Sometimes, pieces of rocks may be hot, seek care
for burns right away.
DRRR Disaster Preparedness Handout |8
• Do not drive. In case you must drive do not open the air conditioning system for this will
suck in the ashes from the outside. Drive slowly as ashfall will reduce visibility. Ashes
increases chance of slippery roads.
• Close windows, wear dust-mask or cover your face with clean wet towel or cloth
• Better use bottled water. If you must use tap, boil it first.
Rehabilitation (What to do after):
• Listen to the latest update about Alert Levels, other information from the radio.
• Cook food thoroughly.
• If the family has evacuated during the eruption, only the adult members of the family
should be allowed to go home to inspect the house condition.
• Only when the authorities – the LGU’s have declared that it is safe to go home that the
family should return.
• Clean ashfall thoroughly but do not dump ash in sewage systems.
