Unlike hurricanes or some other natural disasters, earthquakes strike suddenly and without warning, therefore the only thing you can do is take preventative measures and be prepared for the next earthquake in advance, before a deadly earthquake strikes in your area.
There are things that you can do to reduce the chances that you or other members of your household will be injured or that your property will be damaged.
The number one and first preventative measure quoted from FEMA ( Federal Emergency Management Agency) is:
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“Prepare Your Home – Make your home safer to be in during earthquakes and more resistant to earthquake damage by assessing its structure and contents. Depending on when and how it was designed and built, the structure you live in may have weaknesses that make it more vulnerable to earthquakes. Common examples include structures not anchored to their foundations or having weak crawl space walls, unbraced pier-and-post foundations, or unreinforced masonry walls or foundations.
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If you own your home, find and correct any such weaknesses with professional help so that you are prepared for the next earthquake. If you are a renter, ask what has been done to strengthen the property against earthquakes, and consider this information in deciding where to rent. If you are building or buying a home, make sure that it complies with the seismic provisions of your local building code.”
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