Earthquakes occur all over the world. Here's how to start preparing for one

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L.A. Johnson/NPR

Updated April 11, 2024 at 6:05 PM ET

Unlike other natural disasters such as hurricanes, earthquakes are almost impossible to predict, even for scientists. Early detection systems give only seconds of warning.

Specific best practices for earthquake preparedness may vary somewhat based on your country and region, says Christine Goulet, director of the U.S. Geological Survey's Earthquake Science Center.

How and where buildings are constructed, population density and the nature of the shaking itself all affect how destructive individual earthquakes are, she says.

Additionally, “It's important to note that some areas have building types for which there is no real safe option,” says Mark Benthen, director of communications, education and outreach at the Southern California Earthquake Center.

For this story, we spoke with US-based experts, but many of the tips are generally applicable.

Here are seven steps you can take to prepare yourself in advance, according to emergency and disaster preparedness experts. For more safety tips, head to the Earthquake Country Alliance, a partnership of people, organizations and regional coalitions working to improve earthquake and tsunami preparedness.

Remember: drop, cover, and catch

Make sure you know what to do when an earthquake strikes. If you feel the ground starting to shake: Fall, take cover under a stable piece of furniture, and hold on, says Crisanta Gonzalez, emergency management coordinator for the city of Los Angeles' Department of Emergency Management.

You are safer under something like a desk or table, where one arm holds the table leg while your other arm protects your neck and head.

Whatever you do, don't stand in the door frame, Gonzalez says. “In modern homes, doorways are no stronger than any other part of the house” and will not protect you from injury, according to the Country Earthquake Coalition guidelines.

Third grade students in Ms. Jordan's class participate in the annual Great Earthquake Drill at Pacific Elementary School in Manhattan Beach on Thursday, October 21, 2021.

Media News Group/Long Beach Press/Media News Group/Long Beach Press/Getty Images

Make a family plan

Next, make sure your family has a business plan.

Suppose there is an earthquake in the middle of the night and your house is damaged. “Where are you going?” says Alyssa Provencio, a professor at the University of Central Oklahoma who teaches emergency and disaster management. “Do you have a friend or family member you can stay with?”

What would you do if an earthquake occurred while you and your partner were at work, and your children were at school – and no one could control each other?

Create a meeting point — somewhere that's easy for everyone in your family to remember under stress, like the post office near your home, says Provencio.

You can also meet at home if that's a suitable place, Benthen says. even if [it’s] Damaged, you can still [meet] Right in the front yard.”

Whatever plan you decide on, don't rely on your phone as your main means of communication, Provencio says. “Technology fails all the time in disasters,” she says. For example, a large earthquake in California could damage cell towers and disrupt communications services for several days, according to 2021 estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Secure your furniture

Those shelves hanging above your bed could be a hazard during an earthquake. Benthen says people are often injured by “flying or falling objects” such as furniture or glass during earthquakes. So inspect your home and ask yourself: What could pose a potential safety risk?

The experts we spoke to say you should remove or secure heavy objects like shelves, mirrors and picture frames over areas where you spend a lot of time, like your bed or desk.

You should also mount larger furniture such as shelving units and TVs to the wall. These items often come with straps and fasteners, but some people don't make the effort to install them “because they feel like it's a hassle,” says Marcus Coleman, director of the Department of Homeland Security's Center for Faith-Based Neighborhood Partnerships.

Take “the extra 15 to 20 minutes” to attach your furniture to the wall, he adds, so it's worth it.

Make digital copies of important documents

Important documents may be destroyed during an earthquake. It's also not something people remember to grab in the event of a disaster, Gonzalez says. “People are running out of their homes and not bringing their birth certificates or insurance papers.”

Make digital copies of important documents such as your ID, birth certificate, and insurance information.

L.A. Johnson/NPR

Scan or take photos of your important documents — such as your license, financial records, insurance policy information, even a list of prescriptions — and store them in the cloud, Gonzalez says. You can add them to Google Drive or iCloud, for example.

This can help ensure that your documents are available even if your computer or hard drive is lost in an earthquake.

Store water…

Access to water during an earthquake is not a guarantee. Provencio says facilities can be shut down for repairs or to mitigate additional damage after an earthquake, such as flooding caused by broken pipes or water mains, or fires caused by downed power lines. Even if you have water coming into your home, it may not be safe to drink, Gonzalez says. The water can be contaminated due to a broken water line.

With that in mind, store water at home if you can. FEMA recommends storing at least one gallon of water per person for 72 hours. If you live alone, this means you need a total of three gallons stored in your home. This may not seem like a lot, but “if you start adding that up, especially for four to six people [family] “That's a lot of gallons of water,” says Provencio.

It's not a substitute for storing consumable water, but it's a great bonus tip: Gonzalez says you should fill your bathtub and sinks with water immediately after an earthquake. She says you can use this water for washing, cooking and flushing the toilet, or you can boil it and use it as drinking water.

…and food

The same goes for food. FEMA recommends storing at least 72 hours worth of food for everyone in your family.

Look for non-perishable foods like canned foods or energy bars, as well as sealed meals like those sold for camping, Provencio says.

“You want food that's easy to transport, like dried fruit or granola bars, and you'll need to be careful about expiration dates,” she says. Review your supplies every six months or so and remove expired items.

Start by packing your bag

Pack a bag of essentials that you can take with you on your way out of the house if you have to evacuate. Everyone in the household should have one, and it should contain enough food, clothing and supplies to last about three days, according to Earthquake Country Alliance guidelines.

Think of it as packing as if you were going camping, says Benthen, that is, without access to water or power, which may not be available in the aftermath of an earthquake. It's a good idea to have a flashlight in case the power goes out, and heavy gloves can help if you need to remove debris like glass, Provencio says.

Then think of specific things you might need. For example, if you wear glasses, consider keeping an extra pair in your bag. If you are menstruating, pack sanitary pads or tampons. If you have a dog, pack some food.

But try to pack relatively lightly, Provencio says. “I've heard of people making these very elaborate bags that have all the recommended items inside. But they can't hold them and that's no use for you at all.”

These tips are just a starting point — for more information, see the Earthquake Country Alliance's Seven Steps for Earthquake Safety.

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