Basic guidelines on what to do if you are caught in an earthquake
Granada, Colombia, Indonesia and Japan have all been hit by earthquakes in recent weeks. Andalusia's university institute for geophysics and seismic risk shares basic advice. Here are the key points.
Published on 18/08/2026 - 14:26 GMT+2•Updated 19/08/2026 - 7:34 GMT+2
As with natural disasters such as the wildfires that ravage the Iberian Peninsula every summer, prevention is crucial to saving lives in areas of high seismic intensity such as the Granada basin, in the central sector of the Eastern Betics.
That is the conclusion reached by the University of Granada institute that studies this phenomenon, which has published a series of recommendations for both before and after an earthquake like the one that has just struck the province of Granada.
Experts recommend having a plan in place in advance, so you are not improvising when a possible seismic episode occurs. You should have first-aid kits, torches, radios and batteries ready at home, and know where to shut off basic utilities, since a damaged power line could cause further harm to buildings. Any heavy object that is not properly anchored to the wall can pose a danger.
During the quake, you must stay calm: statistically, it is likely to be an episode without sufficient magnitude to pose a threat to life. This is important because many accidents occur when people try to leave or enter buildings during earthquakes. You must wait for the shaking to stop before deciding whether to move from where you are.
Indoors, the priority is to protect your head: if the shaking is strong, for example, take cover under tables or sturdy chairs. Stay away from objects, walls or windows that could injure you while the episode is under way.
If you are outdoors, move away from buildings and do not go into any of them: further aftershocks could end up destroying them completely. If you are in a car when the tremor occurs, stop where traffic conditions allow and stay inside. If you are in a place near the coast, head for a distant, elevated area and pay attention to messages from the authorities: a tsunami alert may be issued.
Once the shaking has stopped, if you think it is safer to leave the building, never use the lift and take the stairs instead. The condition of cracks in the structure will indicate how serious the situation is. If they are more than 3 millimetres wide and appear in a diagonal or stepped pattern, the structure is at risk; do not enter, or leave as calmly as you can at the first opportunity.
After moving away from the immediate surroundings and staying in an area where falling masonry or debris cannot hit you, check whether the building remains upright or is leaning in relation to neighbouring structures, whether the pavement in front of it shows damage, and the condition of nearby lamp posts.
Next, examine the façade for possible cracks: the most dangerous are diagonal and between one and three millimetres thick. If they are less than one millimetre, the damage is generally minor and you can go inside with caution.
You should not make phone calls that are not emergencies, so as not to overload telephone lines and leave someone who really needs them without coverage. If you hear someone trapped under the rubble, tell them to cover their mouth and nose to avoid inhaling dust and, as far as possible, to bang on a nearby object to indicate their position. If you see someone who is seriously injured but not trapped, you should not move them until the emergency services arrive.
