Sumatra Indonesia 7.8 EarthQuake

An earthquake happens all the time and anywhere these days. Just this morning at 6:15 am while my husband and I still enjoying the comfort of our bed, I've got scared when we heard our furniture moves and my husband told me that there was an earthquake. We hurriedly went to our children's bedroom just to make sure they are safe and thank God they are. It has actually happened in Sumatra Indonesia but since Malaysia was a neighboring country so the wave reaches us. I think no one doesn't scare not to happen to them what happened in HAITI, CHILE and other countries that made natural disasters, like earthquake quite memorable. What is earthquake actually? Just a bit of information earthquake also known as quake, tremor, temblor and according to wiki it is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust and that creates seismic waves. There are a lot of deadly earthquakes that happens in the past and one of the most unforgettable was the HAITI because it was the recent one, which loose lives of more than 200thousand people estimated. A lot are still missing and more people are dying because of disease, starvation and lack of medical care cost by the disaster. Before HAITI, there was ITALY which took more than 200 lives. And after HAITI there was CHILE with 8.8 magnitude last February which made a lot of damage and casualties. What must we do when disasters like an earthquake strike? I believed PRAYER was still the most powerful tools in any disaster like this, but some precaution I got on the net and wanted to share it with you, after all there's nothing to loose.

Source: Geology.com

Before the Earthquake:

• Learn how to survive the ground motion. This is described in the "During the Earthquake" section below. The earthquake safety tips there will prepare you for the fast action needed - most earthquakes are over in seconds so knowing what to do instinctively is very important.
• Teach all members of your family about earthquake safety. This includes 1) the actions you should take when an earthquake occurs, 2) the safe places in a room such as under a strong desk, along interior walls, and 3) places to avoid such as near windows, large mirrors, hanging objects, heavy furniture, and fireplaces.
• Stock up on emergency supplies. These include battery operated radio (and extra batteries), flashlights (and extra batteries), first aid kit, bottled water, two weeks food and medical supplies, blankets, cooking fuel, tools needed to turn off your gas, water, and electric utilities.
• Arrange your home for safety: Store heavy objects on lower shelves and store breakable objects in cabinets with latched doors. Don't hang heavy mirrors or pictures above where people frequently sit or sleep.
• Anchor heavy appliances and furnitures such as water heaters, refrigerators, and bookcases.
• Store flammable liquids away from potential ignition sources such as water heaters, stoves, and furnaces.
• Get Educated. Learn what to do during an earthquake (see below). Then you will be ready for the fast action needed. Make sure that all members of your family have this important education.
• Learn where the main turn-offs are for your water, gas and electricity. Know how to turn them off and the location of any needed tools.
  

During the Earthquake:

• If you are indoors, stay there. Quickly move to a safe location in the room such as under a strong desk, a strong table, or along an interior wall. The goal is to protect yourself from falling objects and be located near the structural strong points of the room. Avoid taking cover near windows, large mirrors, hanging objects, heavy furniture, heavy appliances or fireplaces.
• If you are cooking, turn off the stove and take cover.
• If you are outdoors, move to an open area where falling objects are unlikely to strike you. Move away from buildings, power lines, and trees. 
• If you are driving, slow down smoothly and stop on the side of the road. Avoid stopping on or under bridges and overpasses or under power lines, trees and large signs. Stay in your car.

After the Earthquake:

• Check for injuries, attend to injuries if needed, help ensure the safety of people around you.
• Check for damage. If your building is badly damaged you should leave it until it has been inspected by a safety professional.
• If you smell or hear a gas leak, get everyone outside and open windows and doors. If you can do it safely, turn off the gas at the meter. Report the leak to the gas company and fire department. Do not use any electrical appliances because a tiny spark could ignite the gas.
• If the power is out, unplug major appliances to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on. If you see sparks, frayed wires, or smell hot insulation turn off electricity at the main fuse box or breaker. If you will have to step in water to turn off the electricity you should call a professional to turn it off for you.