The 7.4 magnitude earthquake centered in Kahramanmaraş's Pazarcık district caused great devastation. The earthquake, felt at 04:17 AM across a very wide region including Gaziantep, Şanlıurfa, Adıyaman, Malatya, Adana, Osmaniye, Hatay, and Mersin, resulted in loss of life. Experts, emphasizing the importance of staying calm during an earthquake, state that instead of jumping from windows or balconies, one should perform the ‘drop, cover, and hold on’ action next to a safe and large object during the earthquake. OHS Expert Dr. Nuri Bingöl emphasized that large items should be fixed and sharp and piercing tools should be kept in enclosed spaces.
Üsküdar Üniversitesi Faculty of Health Sciences Vice Dean, OHS Expert Assist. Prof. Dr. Nuri Bingöl made evaluations regarding what should be done and the precautions to be taken during an earthquake.
Items must be secured!
Emphasizing the importance of pre-earthquake preparation, Dr. Nuri Bingöl stated that large items that could tip over during an earthquake should be fixed to the wall. Dr. Nuri Bingöl noted that items like frames and shelves, which could cause harm if they fall, should ideally not be kept; if this is not possible, it should be ensured that these items are thoroughly secured.
Heading towards stairs and elevators is dangerous!
Dr. Nuri Bingöl noted that panic should be avoided during an earthquake, emphasizing that attempting to escape from the current location is particularly dangerous.
Stating that the feeling of panic leads people to engage in behaviors they should not, Dr. Nuri Bingöl warned, “Jumping from a window or balcony is much, much more dangerous than staying indoors during an earthquake and performing the ‘drop, cover, hold on’ action next to a safe, large object. Jumping from windows or balconies is among the behaviors that should not be done. Similarly, the most earthquake-vulnerable parts of buildings are generally staircases; these are the places with the highest risk of collapse. Therefore, heading towards stairs, the desire to go outside as soon as possible, and even attempting to use elevators are among the most incorrect behaviors.”
Earthquake preparedness increases chances of survival
Emphasizing once again the importance of staying calm during an earthquake, OHS Expert Dr. Nuri Bingöl said, “We increase our chances of survival with the knowledge we gained from drills we conducted previously and by being prepared for earthquakes.”
OHS Expert Dr. Nuri Bingöl, stating that an earthquake is a moment of panic and that drills before an earthquake are important, said, “Earthquake drills are very important to get through an earthquake without panicking or to panic less. Like the drill conducted nationwide in Turkey last year, many more exercises, whether at the national level, institutional level, or within families, will ensure calm behavior during an earthquake and make the actions we need to take automatic, which will be an important factor for minimizing the earthquake's impact.”
“Drop-Cover-Hold On” action should be performed next to durable items
Emphasizing once again the importance of the “drop - cover - hold on” actions performed in drills, Dr. Nuri Bingöl said, “More importantly, where we will drop, cover, and hold on. For this, it is necessary to choose the side of durable large items where spaces, which we call the 'triangle of life', can form. Washing machines or dishwashers can be suitable durable items for this.”
Items that create a 'triangle of life' are important!
OHS Expert Dr. Nuri Bingöl also touched upon the precautions to be taken in children's bedrooms, advising, “All these precautions should be applied more carefully in rooms where children are present. As much as possible, sturdy large items that can form a 'triangle of life' in these rooms should also be secured to the wall. Through continuous training and drills, a change in behavior and awareness should be fostered in our children regarding what they should do during an earthquake.”
Piercing, cutting tools must be in enclosed spaces
OHS Expert Dr. Nuri Bingöl stated that keeping cutting and piercing tools in closed drawers, not only to prevent harm during an earthquake but also to generally prevent injuries, also emerges as a safe behavior during an earthquake.