Life around the world

Thursday, 31 October, 2013 - 15:52

Earthquaaaaaaaaake!

by IainG

Living beside an active volcano means that tremors and small earthquakes are not unusual.  Everybody here knows what they feel like, and they come as no surprise to the locals.  For me, though, it was a little different.

According to the US Geological Survey, between 2000 and 2010 an average of some 63,000 people died every year in earthquakes.  In 2010, the Haiti earthquake alone killed 316,000 people. Over one million people lost their homes, and cholera and other diseases spread around the country as a result of this natural disaster.  And the earthquake didn’t even last that long – only 30 to 40 seconds. More than ninety thousand houses were destroyed in just over half a minute.  It is a terrifying thought: the idea that you could lose your home, your family, your friends, your entire city, and even your life, in such a short space of time is enough to give anyone nightmares.

What do you even do when there’s an earthquake?  What is the safety procedure?  In Hollywood films the characters seem to hide under the furniture and I have heard that you should stand somewhere near the door.  Surely you should try to leave the building?  I live in a third floor flat, with several more storeys above me – nobody wants to be trapped under that after an earthquake (or at any other time, for that matter).  One friend told me that, in the event of an earthquake, you should go to the bathroom.  The solid furniture will somehow protect you, she said. Though I suppose the fear may also naturally send you running to the bathroom.

Whenever any tremor comes, I know that I should be scared.  I know that I should probably panic and think about what I need to do.  Last week, though, I felt a tremor for the first time and the only things I felt were excitement and adrenaline.  I was not scared and I was not worried (mind you, my family and friends back home certainly were when I told them).  To feel the earth move like that is quite exhilarating. 

Of course, this tremor lasted only a few seconds.  I have spoken to locals since the event and there were, fortunately, no injuries or any damage done by it. That, I suppose, is the key.  Had it been a real earthquake, I think I would have felt quite differently.

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Discussion

Have you ever experienced an earthquake or tremor?  How did you feel about it?

Submitted by darh29 on Sat, 04/18/2020 - 23:37

I have never been in an earthquake, but I know it is a horrible disaster, and I hope I never experience one.

Submitted by Sebastian2394 on Fri, 03/06/2020 - 19:56

Ari---- When I lived in Mexico City, I lived like 2 earthquakes but they were not very strong, but if I was afraid at that time, I saw how some objects in my house moved, I was afraid that something bad would happen. I know it is bad experience to be in an earthquake and specially to be with the concern of your family or friends.

Submitted by marijose_st on Fri, 03/06/2020 - 01:23

I have never been in an earthquake. and I would not like to live the experience because I feel that it is something very scary and traumatic, an unfortunate event for anyone who can live it, because it can cause serious problems for people.

Submitted by 01285424 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:28

I have always wanted to know what it feels like to be in an earthqueake, but I feel that at the moment it happens i will be caught in fear and I will not know what to do. I fell so bad when i see documentals abaout earthqueake because I see how the people suffer becouse his friends and family dies and his houses are completely destroyed. And when this disaster happens I alwas want to donate some money for the people that it needs.

Submitted by A01285621 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:21

I think it is a terrible experience experimenting an earthquake, the people could get nervous or have panic because this situation isn't common, beside this the real danger is when a building or a house comes down because the life of the persons is in danger.

Submitted by A01285544 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:21

Once I was in the street, it began an earth quake in México city, this was a short time but it caused a great disaster, from that moment I still think about that experience.

Submitted by A01285542 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:21

No, I have never experienced an earthquake, and I don't know how I would react in that situation. I think I would be very scared, but in my country, I have experienced another type of natural disaster, and I am very proud of my country because every time that happens things like that or natural disasters everyone goes and help each other.

Submitted by stephani_2020 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:19

I have not lived such an experience, but I think of people who have lived earthquakes, they lived a horrible experience. It is a sad thing that these natuarl disasters happen in some cities, ending their homes, families and friends. Personally, I would not like to live this kind of experience, but I wolud like to be prepared if an earthquake situation happens to me.

Submitted by A01280815 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:16

In my country many earthquakes occur every year, but I live in a city where they don´t usually happen. I have never experienced one, but if I lived in a city where earthquakes occur, I might not know what to do. Earhquakes had killed a lot of people depending on how strong they are but thanks for the anouncments many people may now know what to do when they get on that situation.

Submitted by A01285754 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:16

I have not ever been in a erthquake situation. Even that in Mexico there have been many very strong ones I never had to live one of those experiences, even so they have already explained to me what to do in case of an earthquake or how to stay if you are going through an earthquake, even so I wish you all Those who may be or have experienced an earthquake that is going well for them and what anger has affected them.

Submitted by A01281758 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:16

Yes, I have an experience with an earthquake, I was on vacation in Mexico, we were eating in a restaurant when everything started to fall, I was shaking very hard and people ran out of the place in the middle of the street, after a few minutes the earthquake stopped and people turned on their televisions to see what had happened, several buildings had fallen and people were trapped, my family helped in the rescues. The earthquake was one of the worst experiences I've had, I wish not to relive something like that or see people suffering from it

Submitted by EJOR35 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:15

I never experienced an earthqueake, i think i would not know what to do, i think it would scare me and run or maybe i would put under a table or under something.

Submitted by DELAFUENTE156 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:15

The way in which this person counts the data and statistics they have in different parameters related to natural disasters is incredible. It is impressive how they impact society and everything that people lose in such a short time. This reading provides a lot and specifies the actions that you must carry out in case of an accident such as these.

Submitted by Sebastian2394 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:14

Wow, Now I see that earthquakes are extremely dangerous, I know that are dangerous, but it wasn´t like I expected

Submitted by rickypicky on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:12

I never feel an earthquake or a tremor ,but a lot of persons that I know have lived an earthquake ,and they told me that is a horrible feeling because they didn't know what was happening in this moment so they was very scared. I don't know what would I do if I l were in an earthquake.
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Submitted by Rodordz3232 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:11

I never experienced an earthquake but I have friends who have suffered from this natural disaster.

Submitted by a01285675 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:11

Fortunately, I have never experienced anything like this, and I'm really happy that I don´t live in a place where things like this can happen. I don´t know what would I do if I were in this situation.

Submitted by A01282411 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:08

I have never been in the middle of an earthquake, but with information and the testimonies of people who have been victims of earthquakes, I can give myself an idea of the fear that people should feel at times like this, because of the magnitude of the earthquake which it can reach such a degree that it can tear down houses and buildings.

Submitted by A01281747 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:08

I have never experienced feeling or witnessing an earthquake however I imagine it must be a horrible sensation since you do not know what to do at that time and the earthquake can destroy many things in that city however if you know of friends who have witnessed an earthquake and they tell me that it is horrible to see people who got injured and that is very sad for all the people that leave there
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Submitted by Gosv_Loto on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:03

I have never been in an earthquake, but my family were in one. My dad said me about his experience he said: "When I was your age, I lived in Chihuahua, there i experiment my first earthquake and was nothing" that is all my experience about the earthquake and i dont really i know what i will do if i were in a earthquake

Submitted by A01285717 on Wed, 03/04/2020 - 20:02

I have not ever been in a situation like this one. In Mexico are very common the earthquakes but in Monterrey is not really common. I hope never experiment something like that because is very dangerous and my friends and family wold be in danger too.
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