You've just arrive at home after a spending the a stressful day at work. You are looking forward to spending your evening relaxing in the living room in front of the TV. Just as you are about to do so, you feel the ground you stand on move.

Suddenly the whole room violently shakes. The force is strong enough to knock you off your feet. You crawl for cover but the violent shaking has also disturbed everything around the house. Everything starts falling on to you. The TV has fallen off the table. Some cabinets have fallen to the floor. The house becomes a total mess even as the ground still continues to shake below you. You cry out for help. You do not know what to do.

Earthquakes can come suddenly and without warning. If you live in a place known as one of the centers of frequent seismic activity, then you have every reason to always come prepared. Knowing what to do during an earthquake can help you from putting yourself in greater risk.

During an earthquake, it is easy to give in to panic if you have no idea of what to do. Panic and the fear that it can generate can put you at risk as well as those around you. Here are some of the things that you should and should not do during an earthquake.

If you are indoors during an earthquake:

• Drop to the ground and try to go for cover by getting yourself under a sturdy table or other piece of furniture. Once you have done this, try to stay where you are until the shaking stops. If you can't find a table or sturdy furniture anywhere near you, try to cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building near the main foundation.
• Try to stay away from anything with glass such as windows, outside doors and walls. Try to stay clear from anything that could fall over you such as lighting fixtures or cabinets.
• At the bedroom, stay put in your bed when the earthquake strikes. Hold on and use something to protect your head. unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. Move to a safer place if your bed in under a lighting fixture that might fall off.
• Use a strongly supported doorway for shelter by crouching beside it. Door frames are known to stay up and are the part of the house that will least likely collapse on you during an earthquake. Do this only if you are in close proximity and cannot find any other area to go for cover.
• Try to stay put indoors and hold your ground as long as possible or until all the shaking stops. Studies have shown that most accidents during an earthquake happen when people inside buildings try to move into other rooms or try to head outside.
• Do not head for the elevators and use it as your exit route during or after an earthquake.

• Stay away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires when you can. Head towards an open field such as a baseball park or an outdoor basketball court.
• When you are out in the open, try to stay where you are until the shaking stops. Do not try to move about as danger exists from falling objects or collapsing structures.

• Stop the car as quickly as safety permits and try to stay inside the vehicle. Make sure that you do not stop near or under buildings, overhangs, trees, overpasses, and utility wires.
• Drive with caution once the earthquake has stopped. Be on the lookout for possible hazards such as pavement breaks, caved in tunnels, downed utility poles and electrical wires. Avoid going thorugh bridges, or ramps that might have sustained some damage during the course of the earthquake.

If you are trapped under debris:

• Do not attempt to light a match as much as possible even during a power outage. The debris around you may catch fire or you might be in danger of igniting gas leaks.
• Do not try to move about or kick up dust. You might cause other debris to fall on you and cause injury.
• Try to cover your mouth with a handkerchief or a piece of clothing to filter out dust.
• When you are pinned down by debris and cannot move, try to find a means to signal to others where you are. You can do this by tapping on a nearby pipe or wall so that rescuers in the vicinity may be able to locate you by following the sound that you create. Use a whistle or anything that can create audible sound. Shout only as a last resort to conserve your energy and avoid inhaling dangerous amounts of dust.