If an earthquake starts, protect yourself where you are: indoors, drop to your hands and knees, take cover under sturdy furniture if you can, and hold on. When shaking stops, check for injuries and damage, move away from unsafe structures, and be ready for aftershocks. Before the next earthquake, secure hazards at home, make a household plan, and keep accessible, personalized supplies.
What to do during an earthquake
If you are indoors
Stay inside while the ground is shaking. Drop to your hands and knees, cover your head and neck beneath a sturdy desk or table if one is nearby, and hold on until the shaking stops. If there is no cover, get low beside an interior wall and protect your head and neck with your arms.
Keep away from windows, fireplaces, tall or heavy furniture, and appliances that could fall or shift. Do not run downstairs or outside through falling debris. A doorway is not generally a safer place in a modern home; use sturdy cover instead. This is the USGS guidance in its during-earthquake FAQ, updated September 6, 2024.
If you are in bed, a high-rise, or a crowded place
- In bed: Stay there and cover your head and neck with a pillow. Put on shoes before walking across a floor where broken glass may have fallen.
- In a high-rise: Drop, cover, and hold on, away from windows. Do not use an elevator during shaking.
- In a crowded public place: Do not push toward exits while things are moving or falling. Protect your head and neck, then move carefully when shaking stops.
These scenario recommendations appear in USGS earthquake safety guidance: Earthquake Safety.
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If you are outside, driving, or have limited mobility
- Outside: Move to an open area away from buildings, power lines, chimneys, and other things that could fall. In mountainous terrain, be alert to rockfall and landslides.
- Driving: Pull over carefully away from bridges, overpasses, trees, power lines, signs, and other hazards. Stay in the vehicle until shaking stops.
- Using a wheelchair or unable to get to the floor: Get as low as you safely can, lock wheelchair wheels if applicable, remain seated rather than transferring during shaking, and protect your head and neck with available material. Move away from windows or falling hazards only if you can do so safely. This advice is drawn from a surfaced Ready.gov instructor-guide excerpt; consult current local accessible emergency guidance for your circumstances.
If you are near the ocean
Follow local tsunami alerts and evacuation instructions. Earthquake safety actions do not replace local directions about whether and when to move to higher ground or inland.
What to do when the shaking stops
Check people and leave unsafe buildings
Check yourself and others for injuries. If a building is damaged, leave if you can do so safely, move away from it, and do not enter or re-enter. Avoid hazards such as broken glass and debris; sturdy shoes and protective clothing can help. Treat damaged structures as unsafe unless local officials say otherwise.
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Expect aftershocks and check for hazards
Aftershocks can follow the main earthquake. If shaking starts again, repeat the protective action: drop, cover, and hold on. Open cupboards carefully because contents may have shifted. Follow local emergency-management directions about evacuation, shelter, utilities, and hazards in your area.
If you suspect a gas leak or electrical short, follow local utility instructions for shutting off service, if you know how and can do so safely. Do not take risks to reach a shutoff. For non-urgent updates, texting may be preferable to calling when networks are congested; use emergency calls for urgent situations.
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How to prepare your home and household
Reduce falling and shifting hazards
Secure bookcases, cabinets, tall furniture, file cabinets, heavy electronics, and water heaters. Use anchoring hardware suited to the furniture and wall, and follow its installation instructions. For building-specific questions about seismic safety or structural changes, consult a qualified engineer rather than assuming a general checklist can assess the building.
The USGS preparation guidance covers securing household objects, utility shutoffs, supplies, and professional structural advice: Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety.
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Make a communication and meeting plan
Decide how household members will contact one another and where they will meet if separated. Include children, older adults, people with disabilities, and anyone who may need help evacuating or communicating. Know how your household will receive local alerts and where to find instructions for your community.
Assemble and maintain supplies
Keep emergency supplies where they are accessible, and consider an earthquake emergency kit as a convenient way to gather basics. No prepacked kit is complete for every household, so check its contents against your needs and replace expired or depleted items. Consider:
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- Flashlights and spare batteries
- First-aid supplies, medications, and items for specific medical or accessibility needs
- Food, water, and sanitation supplies, using current local emergency-management guidance for quantities
- Sturdy shoes and gloves
- Important documents and a way to protect or access them
Keep supplies in relevant locations, such as at home and in a vehicle if appropriate. The exact quantities needed depend on current local guidance and household circumstances; older general recommendations should not be treated as universal standards.
Practice and consider financial protection
Practice dropping, covering, and holding on so the action is familiar. Review how to shut off utilities if a leak or electrical short occurs, and make sure household members understand the safe procedure. USGS also includes considering insurance and planning for recovery among its Seven Steps to Earthquake Safety; assess coverage against your own property and circumstances.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What earthquake early warnings can—and cannot—do
ShakeAlert detects ground motion from an earthquake that has already started; it is not an earthquake prediction. Depending on the event and your location, an alert may provide only seconds to act. If you feel shaking or receive an alert, immediately drop, cover, and hold on rather than waiting for more information. See the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program’s ShakeAlert information.
Quick Recap
A practical preparation checklist
- Secure furniture, cabinets, electronics, and other heavy objects that could fall.
- Choose household contacts and meeting places, and learn how local alerts reach you.
- Gather accessible supplies and personalize them for household needs; keep time-sensitive items current.
- Learn safe utility shutoff procedures and consider financial protection.
- Practice drop, cover, and hold on, and identify local tsunami, landslide, evacuation, and shelter instructions.
- Ask a qualified engineer about building-specific seismic concerns.
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