The earth trembles again and again in Puerto Rico. After a strong earthquake of 6.4 magnitude on Tuesday caused serious damage to buildings, power outages and at least one dead on the island, several aftershocks have continued to shake part of their territory. The strongest among them was felt this Saturday morning (reached magnitude 5.9).
People living in that area are worried, and seismologists expect there may be other earthquakes in the next few days, even powerful and potentially destructive. Specifically, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) has warned this Sunday that there is an 11% chance that there will be a new tremor of magnitude equal to or stronger than 6.0 in the next seven days (three days ago the probability was 3%).
“When there are more earthquakes in a sequence, the probability of a major earthquake is greater, which means that the probability of damage is greater,” says a tweet from the service published this Saturday, so he has remembered several instructions to follow to protect himself in If an earthquake affects the area in which you are. Here are some.
https://twitter.com/USGS/status/1216127204666564608
What to do if the earth starts to shake
The first indication that the USGS gives if a tremor surprises you anywhere is to bend over hands and knees. "If you use a wheelchair or walker with a seat, make sure the wheels are locked and remain seated until the tremor stops," he adds.
The second thing to do is cover your head and neck with your arms, says the USGS. If there is a sturdy table nearby, it is best to duck under it to seek shelter.
If there is no suitable near point to protect yourself, the suggestion is to crawl next to an inner wall (away from the windows), but only if better coverage can be achieved without crossing an area with more debris. Likewise, the need to stay on your knees or lean to protect vital organs is indicated.
Once under a table or desk, the next step is to hold on to one of its legs and prepare to continue its movement if this happens. If a shelter has not been found, head and neck should be protected with arms and hands or lean forward and do the same in case it is impossible to drop to the ground.
https://twitter.com/USGS/status/1216128906211876865
Other indications
The USGS gives other indications to protect against earthquakes.
-If you are in a vehicle, stop and stop. Set the parking brake.
-If you are in bed, turn upside down and cover your head and neck with a pillow.
-If you are outside, stay away from buildings.
-Do not enter through a door.
-Don't run outside.
Before and after instructions
The USGS also gives directions to prevent emergency situations.
Among them, it indicates: to practice the protection steps previously indicated with family and co-workers ; secure heavy objects in the home; plan where to meet the people you live with if the earthquake forces separation; prepare a supply kit that includes enough food and water for at least three days, a flashlight, a fire extinguisher and a whistle; save extra batteries and recharging devices for phones and other useful devices.
If an earthquake has just occurred, there may be serious dangers, alert the service. One of the first things he advises to do is find out if he suffered injuries and if he is in a position to help others.
If a person is trapped in the rubble, the ideal thing is to be able to protect mouth, nose and eyes from dust and try to send a text message or hit a pipe or wall to get the attention of rescuers.
If you are in an area that may be affected by a tsunami , you must go inland or to a higher area immediately after the tremor ceases.
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