19 February 2020, 3:55 pm
An Education on earthquake - In Sikkim Context
This article has been preserved from The Voice Of Sikkim historical news collection and reflects information available at the time of its original publication.
An Education on earthquake - In Sikkim Context
Pakyong , 19 Feb : Sikkim being an earthquake-prone state, natural disasters cannot be prevented nor avoided, but we can always be safe than sorry so the impact can assuredly be reduced, we have to live with this reality but we can always be prepared, in our day to day endeavors preparation plays an important part, it is one of the important things we need to do when planning or looking forward to something, ?it is beneficial that we prepare for things we set out to do, it is sometimes overlooked and shouldn?t be. We can face it with resilience, endurance and safety. We should not forget the 2011 earthquake which inflicted a grave damage to human life, infrastructure and property and livestock of the state and after that we can only be vigilant and overhaul our activities and policies towards a disaster resilient state.
Measures to be taken before an Earthquake
We should make sure to have a fire extinguisher in case of fire, learn first aid and have a first aid kit, a battery operated radio, a torch light, and extra batteries at home, we could learn and teach how to turn off the gas, water, and electricity, and also to come up with a plan of where to meet your family after an quake, we should not leave any heavy objects on shelves as they fall and we can anchor heavy furniture, cupboards, and appliances to the walls or floor, and we can only be aware and learn the earthquake plan at your school or workplace.
Measures to be taken during an earthquake
We should stay calm, stay indoors if you're indoors, and stay outside if you?re outdoor. We could stand against a wall near the center of the building, stand in a doorway, or crawl under heavy furniture (a desk or table), stay away from windows and outside doors, if you're outdoors, stay in the open away from power lines or anything that might fall. Stay away from buildings (stuff might fall off the building or the building could fall on you), don't use matches, candles, or any flame, broken gas lines and fire don't mix.
If you're in a car, stop the car and stay inside the car until the earthquake stops, don't use elevators as they get stuck.
Measures to take after an Earthquake
We should check ourselves and others for injuries, we could provide first aid for anyone who needs it, check water, gas, and electric lines for damage. If any are damaged, shut off the valves. Check for the smell of gas. If you smell it, open all the windows and doors, leave immediately, and report it to the authorities. Don't use the phone unless it's an emergency. Stay out of damaged buildings. Be careful around broken glass and debris. Wear sturdy shoes to keep from cutting your feet, be careful of chimneys.
Stay away from damaged areas. Expect aftershocks.