A 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck Qujing, Yunnan! How to avoid danger and save yourself when an earthquake occurs?

The China Earthquake Networks Center officially determined that at 18:50 on March 29, a magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurred in Huili County, Qujing City, Yunnan Province (27.00 degrees north latitude, 103.42 degrees east longitude), with a focal depth of 10 kilometers.

The epicenter is located at 27.00 degrees north latitude and 103.42 degrees east longitude. The epicenter is 25 kilometers from Ludian County, 46 kilometers from Zhaoyang District, 49 kilometers from Qiaojia County, 66 kilometers from Huize County, 67 kilometers from Ningnan County, Sichuan, 48 kilometers from Zhaotong City, and 229 kilometers from Kunming City.

The villages within 5 kilometers of the earthquake include Tangjiapingzi, Zhoujiagangzi, Lengjiaopo, Hongshiyan Village, Yangfentian, Yuantangzi, Shizhuang, Laozhai, Hongqing Village, and Xiaojiaopo; the towns within 20 kilometers include Baogunao Township, Huodehong Town, Longtoushan Town, Laodian Town, Jiangdi Town, Dashuijing Township, Xindian Town, and Qianchang Township.

How to save yourself when encountering an earthquake?

When encountering an earthquake, scientific risk avoidance can effectively increase the possibility of survival.

Earthquake indoors:

When an earthquake occurs, try to keep your balance and do not rush outside.

Quickly hide under sturdy furniture such as tables and beds, hold on to the table legs or bed legs with one hand to steady your body, and bend the other arm to protect your eyes to prevent being injured by glass, wood fragments, etc.

If there is no furniture nearby to provide protection, you should squat in the corner of the room and protect your head with pillows, cushions, bags, books, etc. until the shaking stops.

After the earthquake is over, evacuate quickly to a safe area.

Earthquake outdoors:

You should observe the surrounding conditions and avoid moving or running around in large areas on the roads and in parks to avoid ground subsidence.

Stay away from places where objects may fall, such as street lamps, buildings, etc. Although some buildings are earthquake-proof, you still need to be careful of falling glass, signs, lamps, etc.

Driving during an earthquake:

Stop the car as soon as possible while ensuring safety. Do not park the car under or next to trees, viaducts, buildings, high-voltage cables, etc.

You should stay in the car until the shaking stops. The car body can protect you from falling objects to a certain extent.

After the earthquake is completely over, evacuate to a safe area quickly, avoiding damaged roads, bridges, etc. along the way.

Confined space encounters earthquake:

Cinemas, theaters and other large enclosed spaces often have fewer load-bearing columns. When a major earthquake occurs, the collapse of the ceiling can easily threaten lives.

If you feel a violent shaking, you should squat down immediately, lower your head as much as possible, and cover your head with a backpack, coat or hands. Try not to leave your seat immediately, observe the surrounding environment first, follow the instructions of the staff, and escape in an orderly manner.

If you are trapped in an elevator, please avoid shouting to conserve your energy. Trapped people can take turns knocking on the elevator door to call for help.

When an earthquake occurs, it is often difficult to get through by phone. The success rate of using social media to contact the outside world is higher than that of using the phone. After successfully contacting the outside world, please wait patiently for rescue and do not try to force open the elevator door.

Earthquakes in mountainous areas:

If you encounter an earthquake during outdoor activities such as mountain climbing, you should first remain calm and stay away from dangerous areas such as landslides, falling rocks and landslides, as well as places where falls may occur, such as the edges of cliffs.

Don't rush to go down the mountain. Instead, find an open area away from big trees, rocks and steep edges, lower your head and squat on the spot, use your backpack, coat and hands to protect your head, and wait for the earthquake to end.

Is the earthquake warning function on your mobile phone turned on?

Users search for "China Earthquake Networks" or "earthquake warning" in WeChat:

➡️Enter the "China Earthquake Networks" applet;

➡️Click "Turn on Earthquake Warning" and allow "Earthquake Warning Notification" and "Get Location";

➡️After successfully adding the place of interest, you can enable the earthquake warning service.

In addition, depending on the phone model, some brands of phones require you to search for the keyword "earthquake warning" in the app store and download the relevant APP. Some brands of phones require you to go to the system "settings", find the "security" option, and then turn on the "earthquake warning" function according to the prompts.

Image source: Ministry of Emergency Management

Hope you are safe!

Comprehensive sources: China Earthquake Networks Center, People's Daily, National Emergency Broadcasting, Ministry of Emergency Management, etc.