Earthquakes are considered to be one of the most dangerous and destructive natural hazards. The impact of this phenomenon is sudden and without any warning. Epidemiologically earthquakes are caused due to fracturing of rocks in the earth’s crust that takes place due to certain geological reasons thus generating a series of shock waves in all directions resulting in rapid and discernible movements of the earth. It is not yet possible to make a prediction about the time of occurrence and magnitude of an earthquake. A very large number of earthquakes occur all round the world but only a few of them are centered near the populated areas or have sufficient intensity cause damage to the built structures and its inhabitants. In other terms these earthquakes also impedes the overall development and progress of any society or country.
One truth that mankind must accept is that this is the poorly built structures and not the earthquake that kill the people. The loss of life and property due to earthquake is mainly due to structural collapse of the buildings, dams, water bodies, bridges, roads and other structures. The impact of an earthquake on these manmade structures depends on its magnitude and intensity on seismic scale which is beyond the control of the mankind. But the most important mean of reducing the impact of earthquakes on the mankind is the knowledge about construction of earth-quake resistant buildings and strictly following both structural and non structural mitigation measures that can defiantly reduce the miseries of death and trauma in these natural disasters, the past experience shows that the earthquakes are also known to cause fire incidents due to electrical short circuit as well as cooking gas leakage.
Special attention should be given to our lifeline buildings (hospitals and teaching institutions) in natural calamities like earthquakes and fire incidents by timely identification and retrofitting of these buildings. Let all the teaching institutions have lightening protection system, fire detectors and sprinklers installed while constructing these buildings. The heads of every teaching institution must take the responsibility of formulation of a disaster management action plan by involving teachers, parents and students as well. Formulation of disaster management action plan can be divided in to pre-disaster, during disaster and post disaster plans.
It is also important to have frequent interaction with the stakeholders the do’s & don’ts to be followed at the time of disasters. The pre-planning of entry routes for search and rescue volunteers and exit or escape route for children in order to avoid a stampede which is more dangerous than the earthquakes itself. Special mention regarding availability of water reserve, fire hydrants, sand bags and specific equipment for disaster management like hammers, cutters etc. It becomes important to take all safety measures during conduct of mock exercise because it involves human life and no society can afford injury or death in a mock drill.
Every effort must be made to maintain discipline in the institution and small but positive briefings about the disaster must be given to the students and their parents as well to alleviate their apprehensions and fears. Once the disaster management action plan is formulated and properly rehearsed by conducting mock exercise the teaching institution administrators, teachers, students and parents get a boost in their confidence that they can also face the impact of natural calamities with great courage.