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Earthquake Strikes Hawaii
Red Cross offers recommendations for staying safe in the aftermath of an earthquake
Written by
Leigh-Anne Dennison
, Managing Editor, RedCross.org
Sunday, October 15, 2006 — Earlier today an earthquake estimated at 6.6 magnitude struck the Big Island of Hawaii. While the earthquake did trigger some landslides, including one that blocked a major highway on the island, no tsunami was triggered.
The epicenter hit in the northwest area of the Big Island 10 miles north-northwest of Kailua Kona, and the quake was reportedly felt on other islands in the chain including Maui, Oahu and Lanai. According to reports by the Associated Press and MSNBC, some communities on a few of the islands are without power and are experiencing communications disruptions. An estimated 3,000 people have been evacuated from Kona and South Kohala on the Big Island.
It is common after a disaster for communications—including telephones and cell phones—within an area to be interrupted, and often is easier to call or text message outside the impacted area. Therefore, the American Red Cross recommends that people in the affected area who cannot reach loved ones call a point of contact outside the directly-impacted area, possibly a friend or relative on the mainland if necessary, to report their status to other loved ones who can call or receive calls from the outside point of contact.
Individuals who still have power but cannot call outside the area may still have access to Internet service and should try sending e-mail messages. Additionally, the Red Cross maintains a Web site that enables people to register themselves or search for loved ones who cannot be reached. The Red Cross Safe and Well List site is directly accessible through the organization’s public Web site Redcross.org.
Naturally, contacting loved ones is a top priority for people after a disaster strikes, but there are other important considerations and steps those affected should take to ensure their own safety and welfare. The Red Cross offers the following recommendations for staying safe after an earthquake and in the face of a power outage.
Staying Safe after an Earthquake
- Check for injuries – Often people tend to others without checking their own injuries.
- Put on protective clothing – Put on long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, sturdy shoes and work gloves to protect yourself from broken items and debris.
- Expect aftershocks – Aftershocks can occur minutes, days, weeks and even months following an earthquake.
- Inspect your home – Inspect your home and get everyone out if it is unsafe.
- Check on neighbors – Older adults and people with disabilities may require additional assistance. Caregivers or neighbors with large households may need additional assistance in an emergency.
- Eliminate fire hazards – If possible, put out small fires quickly using available resources to prevent them from spreading, and look for potential fire risks.
- Avoid the hazard of a chemical emergency – Clean up spilled medicines, cleaners, bleaches, gasoline or other flammable liquids immediately.
- Check for gas leaks – If you smell gas or hear a blowing or hissing noise, open a window and quickly leave the building. Turn off the gas, using the outside main valve if you can, and call the gas company from a neighbor's home. If there’s no reason to suspect a gas leak, do not turn off the gas at the main as it may be weeks or months before professionals can turn gas back on using the correct procedures. Do not attempt to turn gas back on yourself.
- Do not smoke in confined areas – Smoking can pose a fire risk or worse if there is an undetected gas leak.
- Watch for hazards in your neighborhood – Look out for fallen power lines or broken gas lines, and stay out of damaged areas. Hazards caused by earthquakes may not be immediately visibility, so use extreme caution.
Coping with Power Outages
- Turn off electronic devices – Turn off electrical appliances or equipment that were powered on when the electricity went out. Leave one light turned on to easily determine when power has been restored.
- Only use a battery powered lights – Due to the extreme risk of fire, do not use candles during a power outage and opt instead for flashlights or other battery-powered lights.
- Use generators outside ONLY – Do not run a generator inside a confined space, like home or garage due to the extreme dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning.
- Follow directions for connecting to a generator – If you use a generator, connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator. Do not connect a generator to a home's electrical system unless you have an approved power transfer switch installed.
- Eliminate unnecessary travel – Traffic signals stop working during an outage, creating traffic congestion.
- Listen to local and emergency officials – Use a portable, battery-operated radio or television to listen to the local radio and television stations for updates, and follow instructions from emergency officials.
- Keep refrigerator doors closed – Avoid opening the refrigerator and freezer to keep the contents cold.
- An unopened refrigerator will keep foods cold enough for a couple of hours at least. A freezer that is half full will hold for up to 24 hours and a full freezer for 48 hours.
- If it looks like the power outage will be for more than 2-4 hours, pack refrigerated milk, dairy products, meats, fish, poultry, eggs, gravy, stuffing and left-overs into your iced down cooler.
- If you must eat food that was refrigerated or frozen, check it carefully for signs of spoilage.
- When the power returns, check temperatures. If the food in the freezer has ice crystals and is not above 40 degrees you can refreeze. Perishable foods in the refrigerator should not be above 40 degrees F. for more than two hours. A full food safety chart is available on Redcross.org, but “when in doubt, throw it out.”
For more about information and tips for staying safe after a disaster, visit the “After a Disaster” section of the Disaster Services portion of Redcross.org.
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year, disasters like the Midwest ice storms, by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster. The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
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