Earthquakes

 Earthquakes

    There are many kinds of natural disasters that happen on Earth. There haven been forest fires, floods, hurricanes, tornados, and severe droughts. Earthquakes are another kind of disaster that make the ground, and everything we built on it, shake. The shaking can sometimes go on for more than a minute. Most earthquakes are small and hardly noticeable, but others can be catastrophic and deadly for thousands of people. Earthquakes in the United States are most likely to occur in western states, especially California. Depending on where we live, we need to be prepared for what disasters are more likely to happen in the future.

    A big earthquake can make bridges and highways crumble. This means tons of concrete crashing to the ground. Parts of buildings, or entire buildings can fall. People  can be hurt or killed by heavy things that fall away from high places. This is why students in school practice sheltering under tables during earthquake drills. Once the shaking is over, students and adults need to evacuate the buildings and go outside where it is safer.

    At home, we need to know where to go if an earthquake happens. We need to know how to find our way around our home if the earthquake happens at night. We may need to navigate stairs. People should have a flashlight or cell phone with a light close to their bed. This way, people can be ready for an emergency, even in the dark. If a quake happens while we are in our house or apartment, it is a good idea to stand in a doorway during the shaking where there are stronger wooden beams above our heads and holding onto the door frame.

    We should also have extra food and water at home in case we can’t get out of the house or access help for many days. Hospitals and stores may be damaged and stay closed after a quake, inaccessible to the public. Police and firefighters, the people we often call ‘first responders’ will only be able to help the most severely injured. Everyone else will be on their own. In the cafeteria, schools keep several days worth of food and water needed for the large number of people there as a precaution. Students and adults who take medication daily should have an extra day’s supply on hand. Earthquakes are part of life in California, but we can do our best to be prepared for them.

(C)2016 Henry Anker