Earthquake Safety

An earthquake happens when the ground shakes suddenly. It can be scary, but knowing what to do helps keep you safe. The most important thing is to drop, cover, and hold on.

Drop, Cover, and Hold On

When an earthquake starts, drop to your hands and knees. Get under a sturdy desk or table. Hold on to the table leg until the shaking stops.

If there is no table nearby, cover your head and neck with your arms. Stay away from windows, shelves, and heavy things that could fall on you.

After the Shaking Stops

When the shaking stops, check to make sure you are okay. Walk carefully because things may have fallen on the floor. Go outside to an open area away from buildings.

Listen to adults and follow their directions. There may be aftershocks, which are smaller shakes that come after the big one.

Fun Facts

• There are about 500,000 earthquakes detected around the world each year.
• Most earthquakes are so small that people cannot feel them.
• Alaska has more earthquakes than any other U.S. state.

Did You Know?

Scientists who study earthquakes are called seismologists, and they use special machines called seismographs to measure shaking!