You may have seen or heard about earthquakes and the destruction they can cause to homes, businesses and other properties. In California, there can be as many as 100 small, undetectable earthquakes per day. On the other hand, there are usually 2-3 larger earthquakes per year that are big enough to cause severe damages to structures.

Types of Damage Caused by Earthquakes

Earthquakes cause damage in numerous ways. The main type of damage is from structural failure and ground displacement from the vibration of the ground shaking during a tremor. However, earthquakes can cause other damages like landslides, liquefaction (turning loose soil to liquid, thereby disrupting foundations of buildings, pipes, bridges, roads etc.), tsunamis (a long and high sea wave that can be very dangerous and destructive), and fires.

Fires from earthquakes are caused because of the movement and breaking of electrical and gas lines within a structure. Electrical damage can cause sparking that will ignite combustible materials. Broken gas lines will release gas and then can be sparked to start a fire as well. In an earthquake this can happen to not just one structure but many structures at the same time, causing multiple fires and dangerous situations.

How to Protect Yourself From Earthquakes

There are quite a few things you can do to prepare and plan for an earthquake to make you and your home or business safer. Evaluate the safety of your home, check for items that could fall and hurt someone. These items should be moved or anchored to a wall stud for safety. Have your earthquake safety kit ready (water, food, prescription meds, cash, Swiss army knife, etc.).

It’s important to know where to go when an earthquake starts, practice the drop cover and hold on – under a desk or table is best! If you happen to be outside, get as far away from buildings as possible. If you are in the car when an earthquake begins, pull over carefully and don’t park under trees or power lines if at all possible. Have a plan in place to check in or meet up with relatives after an earthquake occurs.

If there has been an earthquake, you should check to assess yourself and your family first for injury and then proceed to check your home for damages. If the water, gas or electricity seems damaged, those utilities should be shut off until they can be repaired so as not to cause other damage. Don’t enter buildings that are damaged, and stay away from beaches. You should expect aftershocks, practice the same precautions during these small tremors.

Call the Experts at Dry Kings Restoration Today

If your home or business has been damaged by fire resulting from an earthquake, you will need to call the professionals at Dry King to help you repair and restore damages. We are here to help you every step of the way, give us a call today at 415-877-9611.