Earthquakes Near Your City: Before, During, and After

Earthquakes don't give warning. Every year they strike cities in different parts of the world, from Latin America to the Asia-Pacific region and the Mediterranean, and within seconds they can leave buildings collapsed, thousands injured, and weeks of rescue work ahead.

This isn't limited to one country or one tectonic plate. Millions of people live in cities built on zones of high seismic activity, often in buildings that don't meet strict earthquake-resistant codes. This guide is short on purpose, and follows the same structure we use for wildfires: before, during, and after.

Why Urban Seismic Risk Keeps Growing

Three factors keep the risk high in many cities:

• Many major cities were built on active faults or high-seismicity zones, and keep expanding on top of them.
• A large share of the building stock predates current earthquake-resistant codes and remains in use without reinforcement.
• Urban density multiplies the impact of the same tremor: more high-rises, more people, and more critical infrastructure packed into less space.

If you live, work, or have family in a city with a history of earthquakes, this guide is for you, wherever that city is.

Before: What to Prepare Months in Advance

Prepare Your Home

• Anchor tall furniture, bookshelves, water heaters, and any heavy object that could fall.
• Locate the water and gas shutoff valves and the main electrical switch, and make sure everyone at home knows how to shut them off.
• Identify a safe spot in each room: under a sturdy table or against an interior wall, away from windows and mirrors.
• If you live in an older building, check with an engineer whether it needs structural reinforcement.
• Don't store heavy objects on high shelves, especially above beds or anywhere someone sleeps.

Build Your Emergency Kit

• Important documents in a waterproof folder.
• Dust masks (FFP2 or N95), one per person, useful if there's rubble nearby.
• Water, a flashlight, a battery-powered radio, and a whistle to call for help if you get trapped.
• At least three days' worth of any regular medication.
• Sturdy closed shoes kept next to the bed; broken glass is one of the most common hazards after a quake.
• Cash and a charged power bank.
• Leash, carrier, and food if you have pets.

Keep the kit somewhere easy to reach, not on a high shelf or buried behind other things.

Know the Earthquake Early Warning Systems

Unlike a wildfire, an earthquake can't be forecast days in advance. But several countries already have early warning systems that give a few seconds, sometimes up to a minute, of notice before the strong shaking arrives:

• National seismic alert systems, like the one operating in Mexico through public speakers and direct phone notifications.
• Early warning apps active in various earthquake-prone regions, which alert you as soon as a nearby quake is detected, before the shaking reaches your location.
• Check whether your country or city has one of these systems and turn it on on your phone. A few seconds of warning is enough to protect yourself before the strong shaking hits.

Set Your Family Reunification Plan

• Agree on a meeting point outside the home, away from buildings and power lines.
• Set a second meeting point outside the neighborhood, in case the first one is also affected.
• Pick an out-of-town contact the whole family can reach if local phone lines get overloaded.
• Run the drill at least once a year, especially if there are children or older adults at home.

During: If the Ground Shakes

• Drop to the ground, cover your head and neck, and hold on to something sturdy. Don't run for the door or the stairs.
• Get away from windows, mirrors, and tall furniture that could fall.
• If you're in bed, stay there and cover your head with a pillow.
• If you're outside, move away from buildings, trees, and power lines, and head for open space.
• If you're driving, pull over away from bridges, overpasses, and buildings, and stay inside with your seatbelt on until the shaking stops.
• Never use the elevator, under any circumstances.

After: Once the Shaking Stops

• Expect aftershocks; they usually happen minutes to hours after the main quake.
• Check for the smell of gas before flipping switches or lighting flames. If you smell it, shut off the valve and ventilate the space.
• Check for structural damage before staying inside; if you see large cracks or the structure looks compromised, get out and wait for a professional assessment.
• Use the stairs, never the elevator, even if it looks like it's working.
• If you're near the coast and the quake was strong and prolonged, head to higher ground in case of tsunami risk, without waiting for an official warning.
• Head to your family's meeting point if the home isn't safe.
• Photograph any damage for insurance before moving or cleaning anything.

Preparedness Doesn't Depend on Having Signal

Alerts and apps help, but after a major quake the mobile network gets overloaded or goes down, just like during a wildfire. Your family plan, your kit, and the safe spots you've already identified at home are the only things that always work, with or without coverage. Get ready now, before the ground starts to shake.

This guide covers earthquakes only. If you want preparation for other scenarios (wildfires, power outages, cyberattacks, financial crises), find more content on our site and download the complete citizen preparedness guide.