Earthquake in Zagreb Sunday November First 2015

Early this morning on a nice sunny day, as residents of Zagreb, Croatia where going about their daily Sunday Ritual, people were shocked to feel a tremor shake their homes.

As of yet no information has been released as to where the epicenter of the earthquake was or how strong it was at the epicenter. But it was strong enough to shake beds and startle quite a few residents.

The residents of Zagreb wait in trepidation for the dreaded earthquake which legend states will return every 100 years, needless to say it is long overdue. The last great earthquake that struck Zagreb was in 1880, it was rated as being a 6.3 on the Richter scale, and did substantial damage to the city. More than a thousand buildings were damaged, the most notable being The Zagreb Cathedral in the center of town.

Zagreb Cathedral is The most prominent building in Zagreb, a landmark that many use to navigate around.

Sunday November 1^st Earthquake in Zagreb.

At about 8.52 A.M. a slight tremor was felt by residents of Zagreb, it was a minor tremor with no aftershocks. Croatia has not had a serious earthquake in more than a hundred years.

The most important thing you have to remember in case of an earthquake is “Do NOT Panic”, keep a cool head at all times.

Contrary to popular belief, seeking shelter in doorways is not the safest place to go. Doorways are not the strongest part of any structure, seeking shelter under a doorway is NOT safest option. Find the strongest piece of furniture you can and get under it, hopefully it will shelter you from falling debris.

Stay away from windows; they can shatter during an earthquake.

Be aware that gas line can rupture, do not light candles, use any sort of open flame as a light source. “Need I mention that lighting up a cigarette is a bad idea?”

If you are in a multistory building, do NOT use the elevators.

Above all, and this is the most important piece of advice. Use your Common sense to stay safe.

Check if anyone is injured. Treat injuries as soon as possible and find a safe location to move to. If you or the person who is injured cannot move, call for an ambulance immediately.

Check utilities in order of priority, Gas, Electricity, Water. If you even suspect that one of those has been compromised, shut of the valves and leave the building immediately. Call the utility company from a safe distance away from your home.

If your building has been damaged, do NOT try to retrieve valuables, there is nothing more valuable than your safety, exit the building and stay safe.

Try to stay off the phone unless it is an emergency, leave the lines clear for emergencies.

Emergency services will be swamped with calls, give them a chance to handle serious cases first.

If you are in an open space, be aware of your surroundings, trees have been known to topple over, power lines are an obvious hazard and sign boards could drop.

If you are near the beach, move inland immediately, Tsunamis have been known to strike after an earthquake.

An earthquake preparedness kit is basically a bug out kit. Basics you should have in it are a

1. First aid kit
2. Torch light and spare batteries
3. Radio with spare batteries
4. MRE (meals ready to eat), energy bars, beef jerky, pemmican. Basically food enough to last you a couple of days
5. Water and water filtration system
6. Knife
7. A means to start a fire, in case you are stranded in the outdoors overnight

Customize your bug out bag to the terrain and environment, depending where you live, you might need different items in your bug out bag, but the list above is the barest of necessities you will need.

Preparing for any natural disaster is essential. The first step in being prepared is learning what to do, the next step is running drills and practicing using your new found knowledge. Having a bug out bag, first aid kit, spare food and water in the home, car, etc, is of course a benefit.

Keep in mind that emergency services will be swamped with calls, expect response time to be slow.