New Zealand Earhtquake
In February I visited Napier in New Zealand which had a catastrophic earthquake in 1931 which destroyed the city in the subsequent fire and killed more than 200 people. Napier's free museum has exhibits on the earthquake. The city was rebuilt by intrepid and determined business people who raised funds to restored the roads, and rebuilt the streets with shops and the hotel in art deco style, which is a tourist trade selling point today.
USA Earthquake
I also visited San Francisco after its fire. I remember being told that poolside chairs had to be chained down to prevent them fling off, being ruined and more importantly injuring or killing people below.
Now March 28 2025 earthquakes have destroyed buildings and lives in Thailand, and Myanmar worse hit because that country had the eipicentre.
What do you do in an earthquake.
I was in Greece on a travel writer familiarisation trip to Zakinthos.Ironically, a local dignitory was welcoming us with a speech about how safe the isalnd was. A loud bang shook the building.
Everybody ran out, at least the Greeks did. We Brits thought the Greeks had rushed to find out what caused the explosion.
After a few minutes they did not come back. I could see the ear-rings shaking on the girl sitting opposite me, and the drinks shaking in their tumblers.
One of the Brits said, 'I think that was an earthquake. Wherever they've gone, we need to join them. We should leave - now.'
Thailand and Myanmar
As you can see from the videos of Thailand and Myanmar, (like 9/11 when the Twin Towers fell in New York) when buildings fall, you have to contend with the falling structure, debris, plus a cloud of dust or fire or flood spreading.
(If you are uninjured and able-bodied, you might desire to return to rescue others, which may be thwarted by cautious security wanting to save you from the risk of further earthquakes or dangerous buildings.
I remember reading about the fire in a hotel in Florida. A survivor said that people like him who were around the swimming pool, survived, but could not get back to their bedrooms to retrieve their passports and money. He was lucky because he was not swimming but wearing shorts and had his credit card in the pocket, so he was able to buy clothes, food, and an air ticket to get home.
It is good precaution to keep an ID and credit card and a spare piece of clothing such as a folded scarf or sarong with you at all times.
The Victorinox Jetsetter is a multifunction folding tool with scisors but no knife, accepted by the TSA for plane travel.
Being prepared for any emergency should be standard practise foe everyhone everywhere. Remember Benjamin Franklin's saying, hope for the best but prepare for the worst. It is standar practise for many schools, offices and other public buildings to have regular fire drills to pracise evaluating a building and gathering in one place to check how many are missing and whom. That is one reason for taking a roll call, or signing into a building. In an evauation, the fire officers know if anybody is missing and needs help, and they don't go risking thier lives hunting for people who were never there because they weant out fo the evening or day or night but did not bother to tell anybody.
A doorbell camera on the front door of a building is handy for elatives to check on olderly people or those who live alone. They can see in any emergency when you left and escaped to safety.
Save the children has a useful set of guidelines outlining how you can ensure everybody of every age knows what to do and where to go in an emergency so they can reach safety and find each other.
Useful Websites
https://www.savethechildren.net/blog/nine-tips-earthquake-
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/crlxlxd7882o
