Become aware of fire evacuation and earthquake plans for all of the buildings you occupy regularly.
A safe place could be under a piece of furniture or against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases or tall furniture that could fall on you.
If you do not have sturdy furniture to hold on to, sit on the floor next to an interior wall and cover your head and neck with your arms.
Hang pictures and mirrors, away from beds, couches and anywhere people sleep or sit.
Move as little as possible.
If you must leave the building after the shaking stops, use stairs rather than an elevator in case there are aftershocks, power outages or other damage.
Avoid bridges, overpasses and power lines if possible.
Then, drive carefully, avoiding bridges and ramps that may have been damaged.
Wait for assistance.
Landslides are often triggered by earthquakes.
Expect and prepare for potential aftershocks, landslides or even a tsunami. Tsunamis are often generated by earthquakes.
Aftershocks frequently occur minutes, days, weeks and even months following an earthquake.
Fire is the most common hazard after an earthquake.
