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Secure your home, plan your household and know what to do
This guide is for anyone who lives in or is moving to an area where earthquakes can happen. You will learn how to make your home safer before shaking starts, what to do during an earthquake, how to prepare supplies and a household plan, and how to stay safe in the hours afterwards. In any emergency, call your local emergency number and follow the advice of official emergency services and your government, which always overrides this guide. General information, not professional advice.
Earthquakes cannot be predicted to the day, but the places where they are likely are well known. Your national geological survey or emergency management agency usually publishes maps of earthquake risk and advice for residents. Start by checking whether your area is considered at risk and what your local authorities recommend.
Official advice differs between countries because building types, typical earthquakes and related hazards vary. Coastal areas may also face tsunami risk, and some regions have earthquake early warning systems that send alerts to phones a few seconds before shaking arrives. Find out what applies where you live and sign up for any official alert service.
Most injuries in earthquakes are caused not by the ground moving but by things falling, breaking or tipping over. That means much of your preparation is simply about making your home a place where fewer things can fall on people.
Walk through each room and imagine it shaking hard for a minute. Look for anything heavy, tall or breakable that could fall, slide or block an exit. Fix the biggest risks first, especially where people sleep and sit.
| Item or area | Risk | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Tall furniture | Bookcases and wardrobes can tip over | Fix to wall studs with furniture straps or brackets designed for the purpose |
| Televisions and screens | Can slide off stands or walls | Use safety straps or secure wall mounts fitted as the maker instructs |
| Heavy pictures and mirrors | Can fall on beds and sofas | Move them away from beds and seating or use closed hooks |
| Kitchen cupboards | Doors fly open and contents fall | Fit childproof latches; keep heavy items on low shelves |
| Water heater | Can topple and break pipes or gas lines | Have it strapped by a qualified professional if local guidance advises it |
| Ceiling lights and plants | Can swing and fall | Check fittings are secure; avoid heavy hanging items over beds |
| Hallways and exits | Clutter blocks escape | Keep paths to doors clear |
Start with the bedrooms, because people spend many hours there and are least able to react quickly when asleep. Move beds away from windows and from under shelves or heavy light fittings where you can. In children's rooms, keep tall furniture strapped and heavy toys on low shelves. Then move on to living areas, the kitchen and the garage, where heavy tools, paint tins and garden chemicals should be stored low and secured so they cannot fall and spill.
Gas and electrical work should only be done by qualified, licensed professionals. Ask your gas supplier or a licensed technician whether flexible connections or automatic shut-off valves are recommended where you live, and learn where your main shut-off points are. In many places you should only turn off the gas if you smell gas or suspect a leak, because a qualified person may be needed to turn it back on safely.
Most of these fixes are inexpensive and can be done over a few weekends. Hardware shops in earthquake-prone areas often stock furniture straps, cupboard latches and museum putty that holds ornaments in place. Follow the fitting instructions on each product carefully, and fix into wall studs or solid masonry rather than plasterboard alone. If you rent, ask your landlord before drilling into walls.
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