In an earthquake, first see what kind of building you are in: in a building built to seismic standards take cover in place, and in an old building that could collapse, go out if the door is a few steps away

In a real emergency, call 911 first, then read this.

Cost

Free. Look ahead of time at how many steps it is to go out of your home, which way you would go, and which table is sturdy.

What you get

The China Earthquake Administration's (中国地震局) explainer video, "An Earthquake Is Coming: Take Cover or Run?", gives the rule "take cover nearby during the shaking, evacuate quickly afterward," and states clearly that "this refers to being inside a building that meets seismic design requirements." The reason is that such buildings "are less likely to collapse as a whole." The original says "falling building parts and decorations" "are the biggest threat to life," while "running around blindly with no protection during the shaking" "makes it easy to be hit by falling ceilings and lamps or fans." The way to take cover is to "protect the head and neck with your hands or other soft objects" "and hold the table legs tight"; with no table, "crouch quickly against a load-bearing wall" "away from outer walls, windows and balconies." "If you are outdoors," you "should at once evacuate to an open area." Looking the other way, in the 1988 Armenian earthquake, Soviet-style prefabricated panel buildings collapsed in large numbers. The case-control study of that quake says "leaving the building after the first shock was a protective behavior." People who stayed indoors were 4.40 times as likely to be injured as those who ran out (odds ratio 4.40), 95% CI 2.24–8.71 (confidence interval, the range the true value likely falls in). They were 12.20 times as likely to be injured inside a building as outdoors (3.62–63.79). In buildings of 5 floors or more, they were 3.65 times as likely as in lower buildings (2.12–6.33)

Notes

Disputed; the two conclusions are about two kinds of buildings. The China Earthquake Administration itself writes the condition for "take cover" as "inside a building that meets seismic design requirements." It also asks for "measures suited to local conditions" and "to the individual," looking together at whether the building is earthquake-resistant, where you are in it, and whether you can run. In the Armenian buildings whole structures fell, there was nowhere to take cover, and going out was the better choice. For U.S. homes, FEMA advises "drop, cover your head and neck, and hold on, and do not run outside," where injuries come mainly from falling objects and from falling while moving during the shaking. The Northridge study also suggests that reaching out to catch things, or grabbing something that "looks stable," makes injuries worse. So asking only "run or not" is no use; you have to judge "will this building collapse, and can you reach open ground in a few seconds." In a building built to code after 2001 where you would have to go down stairs or through a lobby, take cover in place. In a single-story house, an old brick house or a self-built house with no seismic design, if the door is just a few steps away, go out. The Armenian study compared only the injured and uninjured among survivors, did not count the dead, and did not say whether it adjusted for the effect of floor height. People who could run out may already have lived on low floors, so discount the figures. In every case, don't jump from a window, don't take the elevator, and don't go down stairs while the shaking goes on. Once outdoors, stay away from tall buildings, elevated roads, utility poles, glass curtain walls and billboards.

Evidence grade

B : Supported by research but without a precise number, or based on small or single studies.

Sources

1. 中国地震局（安徽省地震局制作）. 地震来了，是躲还是跑？（科普视频，字幕转录）. https://www.cea.gov.cn/cea/dzpd/dzcs/5537260/index.html
2. Armenian HK, Noji EK, Oganesian AP (1992). A case-control study of injuries arising from the earthquake in Armenia, 1988. Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 70(2), 251-257. https://europepmc.org/article/MED/1600585
3. US FEMA Ready.gov. Earthquakes. https://www.ready.gov/earthquakes
4. Mahue-Giangreco M, Mack W, Seligson H, Bourque LB (2001). Risk factors associated with moderate and serious injuries attributable to the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. Annals of Epidemiology, 11(5), 347-357. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1047-2797(01)00220-4

Translated from the Chinese original. Original book, section 13, tip 30. Content may be out of date and rules differ by place. When you actually deal with an agency, a doctor or a court, follow what local officials, doctors and lawyers tell you. Disclaimer