What to do if an earthquake occurs?

Since summer, Japan has been struck by a deluge of natural disasters. and it seems like around the world, earthquakes are happening more frequently - PNG, Indonesia, etc.

I come from a country where there are no natural disasters. I will be going to Japan next month & I am kind of worried about earthquakes. I like to know what should clueless tourists like me do should an earthquake strike when I am outdoors? E.g.: When is the best time to evacuate a building? Or if a building is trembling, where is the best place to hide if the 'safest' place is already occupied by people? These questions are not exhaustive. Feel free to add more scenarios & give action needed. Common sense that you guys possess may not necessarily be possessed by people who live in disaster-free countries.

This link will provide too much info.

http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/english/guide/bosai/index.html

Contact your embassy and ask they have a contingency plan as a .pdf you can download.

If outdoors - stay in the open, away from buildings, watch for signs which may fall, or windows which may break, retaining walls which might collapse, etc. - the open street or a park/parking lot may be ideal. Stay away from the ocean until you have been told `all clear`.

If indoors, protect yourself from falling or shifting items, move to a doorway, etc. If you see others taking these actions, just join them. Everybody will be your friend.

Enjoy your stay in Japan, and try not to worry�c It is very unlikely that you will have the pleasure of a good shake.

Thanks guys but what if you are unfamiliar with the built-up area like Ameyoko or Tsukiji outer market? I doubt any panicky passer by will stop and answer my question - where is the open carpark? Where is the nearest evacuation center?
Besides in my panic, I may not be able to fully comprehend Japanese.

just imitate the behavior of the neighboring Japanese.

https://medium.com/@robintlewis/8-free-apps-that-could-save-your-life-...

A lot of similar videos like these are uploaded, in English.
https://youtu.be/o872bBbqOV4
https://youtu.be/_0SPm4p7vaM
https://youtu.be/XxeJ8jBVdUU
https://youtu.be/IaedDlN5dfo

Such a manual that anyone can read is also prepared.
http://www.metro.tokyo.jp/english/guide/bosai/index.html

Anyway, in the case of a big earthquake ( "’n�k = jishin" in JP),
the alarm sounds of the smartphone will sound all at once like this.
https://youtu.be/eof0K1ijp6o
Most Japanese do not rscream and start running all at onc
bc we know if we do so will be more dangerous.
You can imitate the people around you who are acting calmly.

If possible you'd better watch this.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo_Magnitude_8.0

In my more than 40 years here and hundreds of shakers, I have never seen people running or unconcerned for others near them.

There's always earthquakes in Japan. Don't let media hype scare you.

hi dear
you should escape from glasses and harmful things
you can go under the table

Thanks for all the pdf files and video links. I will take some time to peruse them.

It seems like one of the best things to do is follow the Japanese as I am unfamiliar with the environment. Now what if everyone is scrambling in different directions? Who should I follow?

If I am in a building, is it safer to stay inside or go outside? If it is the latter, when is it safe to go outside? When the tremors are less strong???

Wait until the shaking has stopped, and then wait just a bit longer before going outside - that way, anything that might fall from the upper stories of the building will not hit you.

Nobody knows how many aftershocks there will be. I believe aftershocks can also cause things to topple down. What if while evacuating from a building, aftershocks come again and it seem like an eternity? How long should Japanese wait for aftershocks to stop before they get out? 15 minutes?

I enjoy watching the last video (please refer to the last link in the group of 4 videos) as it shows specifically how we should behave and how we should NOT behave. Now what happens if you are inside an elevator or a rope way and there's an earthquake? What do Japanese do? Will the ventilation fan still work inside the elevator or ropeway?

Also it says that in one of the videos, an early Earthquake warning will be sent to all train stations, schools, hospitals, etc. How about hotels?


It is strongly recommended that Japanese start preparing for an earthquake in advance, and not wait till after an earthquake when it is too late. So are tourists supposed to start buying some food and water supplies as soon as they reach Japan and keep them inside their hotel room?

You are worrying too much about this.

I just went through the earthquake in Hokkaido.
Not having water was by far the most difficult part.

ensure your surroundings are safe before going outside.
bring a battery pack for your phone and keep it fully charged in case something happens.
have a little extra water and some snacks too. over all it's really not that scary, providing you're prepared.

during the shake, i've heard doorframes are the safest place to be. under a table is okay too.

Thanks very much anon.

Some of my previous questions are still unanswered. I hope someone can help. Thank you.