What to Do During an Earthquake

A live tracker shows you what already happened. Knowing how to act in the moment is a separate skill, and the guidance is simpler than most people expect.

Drop, cover, and hold on

Emergency agencies worldwide agree on three steps. Drop to your hands and knees before the shaking knocks you down. Cover your head and neck under a sturdy table if one is nearby, or against an interior wall away from windows. Hold on to your shelter and be ready to move with it until the shaking stops. This sequence consistently reduces injuries in studies of real events.

Skip the doorway myth

The old advice to stand in a doorway comes from photos of collapsed adobe homes where the door frame was the only thing left standing. Modern buildings do not work that way. A doorway offers no special protection and leaves your head exposed. Get under cover instead.

Indoors versus outdoors

If you are inside, stay inside. Most injuries happen when people run for an exit and get hit by falling debris near doorways and exterior walls. If you are already outside, move to an open area away from buildings, power lines, and trees, then drop and cover. In a vehicle, pull over away from overpasses and stay buckled until the shaking ends.

After the shaking stops

Expect aftershocks, which can be nearly as strong as the first quake and may continue for days. Check yourself and others for injuries, then look for hazards like gas leaks or damaged wiring. If you are near a coast and the quake was strong or long, move to higher ground without waiting for an official tsunami alert, because near-source waves can arrive within minutes.

Why context matters

This is general guidance, not a substitute for local emergency planning. Building codes, soil, and tsunami risk vary widely by region. The point of watching a live feed is partly to stay aware of where activity is rising so that, if you live in an active zone, preparation feels routine rather than reactive.