Earthquakes are caused by moving plates on earth – when the plates collide separate, a natural hazard will occur at the boundary. There for the earthquake in Vietnam will be rare but that does not mean we can be less careful – nature is unexpected!
If you are in a country where earthquakes happen a lot like japan, or a country where earthquakes might be felt from the neighboring country like Vietnam where earthquakes could be felt from China, this site might be useful to you. To be prepared for earthquakes is very important and it could save countless of lives.
If you are in a country where earthquakes happen a lot like japan, or a country where earthquakes might be felt from the neighboring country like Vietnam where earthquakes could be felt from China, this site might be useful to you. To be prepared for earthquakes is very important and it could save countless of lives.
Secure it all
- Fasten all shelves securely to the walls. Not only shelves but like desks that are attached to the wall; the heavy textbooks and things similar should be placed on the shelves below.
- Boards and heavy pictures should be hung away from tables or anywhere that someone might sit. If you must put them close to someone, secure the boards as carefully as possible.
- Install shatter-safe window films to protect from breaking glass.
- Breakable bottles like the kitchen ingredients or the chemicals stored in the fragile jars in the science labs should be put inside closed cabinets that have latches
- If anyone notices (deep) cracks in the ceiling or foundations, you should alert someone to repair these immediately.
- Electrical wiring and gas connections should be checked very carefully especially in the Kitchen and the Science Labs. If anything happens, these are the number one causes of the lethal fires that happen after earthquakes in homes
- Have emergency kits ready - at least 1 between 4 people of the school.
What to Teach to Students
- A quick line-up drill that can be practiced anywhere, anytime. Practice fire alarms are best because it also prepares students mentally to not panic. It would also get students to recognise the alarms as emergency alarms.
- A quick quiz once in a while to make sure students remember the key facts about an earthquake like how epi-centers of the earthquake are where it is the strongest and where to hide or evacuate
- 'Get-Under-The-Big-Table-Fastest-Without-Touching-The-Floor' game should be fun to the little kids. They will enjoy it and while in an earthquake situation that game might be vital and could save their lives. The floor part will help them to not step on electrical wires, the big table part will heighten the percentage of surviving and the quick factor is vital.
- Watch videos on how to use fire extinguishers for the teachers and the children how it works and it would save many lives!
What Routes to Take
- Fire alarm routes wouldn't be the best choice because of the layout of UNIS. The main thing is that if you can, you should try to get out from the nearest exit.
- Sometimes the assemble places, and the path through into the field are under or through the roof of the covered basketball court but in this situation, students, teachers and staff should stay away from that place.
- The big soccer field is a perfect place to assemble because it is big and open - away from most of the buildings
Did You Know?
- Door ways are one of the strongest structures but in UNIS, there are glass planes on them so it might not be the best idea to hide under them.
- Quakes on the moon are called 'Moon Quakes'
- Sometimes its better to stay indoors on an earthquake than outdoors
- The sports center and the swimming pool would be weakest structures because of their lack of pillars compared to other buildings