Is your family ready for disasters?

Flooding, earthquakes, and landslides are yearly concerns in the Philippines. In fact, the average number of typhoons in the country is around 20 each year (five of them are usually destructive). Other than that the Philippines is along the typhoon belt, the archipelago is also in the Pacific Ring of Fire. Thus, making the country vulnerable to natural disasters like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Last April 2022, natural disasters affected 659, 996 families. There are also cases of deaths and injuries during the recent earthquakes in the country.

Given how prone the Philippines is to natural calamities, being prepared is essential for our family’s safety. Emergency plans are specified procedures for unexpected situations, like natural catastrophes. While following the disaster plan, you and your family can surely prevent worst-case scenarios during and after disasters occurred.

Let’s get down to the important tips and reminders for our Family Disaster Planning.

Know Your Enemy (the disasters of course!) and What to do

In order to prepare for what’s coming, recognize the natural disasters in the country. Knowing the common scenarios and when calamities occur are big things to consider in order to protect our homes.

Every natural disaster has different impacts as it strikes, hence the need to understand and recognize these calamities in making an effective emergency plan.

Typhoons

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/videos/weather/2020/05/13/typhoon-vongfong-forecast-philippines.cnn

Tropical storms bring heavy rain and strong winds that cause flooding, and landslides, and even can blow your house down! Structures near the river, sea, and mountains are at high risk during typhoons. If your family lives in one of these lands or water forms, better evacuate immediately when the potential risk is high. Traveling also is highly discouraged during a storm, as it can cause non-visibility during drives or travels, giant waves in the sea, and soil erosion or landslides. Rather than continuing the trip, staying at home with your family is the best option during a typhoon.

What to do in a Typhoon:

Before:
1. Fill up your food and water storage along with other family essential things to prevent going out during the storm.
2. Examine your house and repair unstable parts as much as possible. Check and secure things that may get blown away or turned loose during the storm.
3. Secure domesticated animals in a safe place.
4. Prepare clothes, a first-aid kit, candles/flashlights, battery-operated radios, food, and other essential needs in case of evacuation.
5. Secure important documents and belongings. Make sure the flood, rain, and other potential risks won’t affect its place of storage during the typhoon.
6. Stay updated and analyze the weather forecast. If expected typhoon levels are high and your house is in prone areas, evacuate immediately before the storm (especially if authorities encouraged it).

During:
1. Stay inside the house and keep updated with the latest weather forecast.
2. Avoid your family staying near windows, the side of the house that is prone to landslides, or falling tall structures like posts and trees.
3. Do not use gas or electrical appliances that were submerged during a flood.
4. When going to an evacuation center, secure all windows and turn off the master power switch before leaving home. Avoid roads leading to the river and areas prone to landslides.

After:
1. Leave the evacuation center when authorities allow it. Before returning with the whole family (especially with the kids), make sure that the house is already safe and clean.
2. Check for damages to the house and beware of dangerous animals like snakes that may have entered your home.
3. If the flood has entered your house, clean your home thoroughly when the flood is finally gone or deceased. Make sure there is no stagnant water left to protect your family from dengue. (For more information to protect the family from dengue, click on the link: _____________)
4. Watch out for live wires or outlets immersed in water. Immediately report damaged electrical cables and fallen electric posts to the authorities.

Earthquakes

Predicting when earthquakes will occur is impossible. As it is an unpredicted calamity, making your family ready all the time is a must.

What to do in an Earthquake:

Before:
1. Teach your family the basic procedures during an earthquake. One of them is what and where they should duck, cover, and hold.
2. Prepare clothes, a first-aid kit, candles/flashlights, battery-operated radios, food, and other essential needs near or at the place where your family will cover during the earthquake.
3. Give your family whistles, easy-to-carry flashlights, and other things that can help your family during disasters (e.g., a survival bracelet)
4. Check, secure, and be aware of things that might harm your family during an earthquake (e.g., heavy fragile displays, chandeliers, etc.)
5. Be informed about your house location. Check if your home is within or near a fault line.
6. Inform yourself and your family about where to evacuate after the earthquake.

During:
1. As much as possible, calmly guide your family to safety and perform the safety procedures you practiced (like drop, cover, and hold).
2. Be aware of the possible dangers around you. Stay away from windows, glass walls, and anything that can fall or break during the shaking.
3. If driving, park your vehicle in a safe spot. Stay away from structures and electric wires that can fall above you.

After:
1. DO NOT PANIC. Be calm and guide your family out of the house or establishment. Cover your head as you exit to avoid major head injuries while walking.
2. If an aftershock occurred during the exit, find a safe place to cover or crouched down with your hands still covering your head.
3. Evacuate to the nearest evacuation center. If possible, bring the prepared clothes, first-aid kit, candles/flashlights, battery-operated radios, food, and other essential needs with you.
4. If your family is near the ocean, evacuate immediately to higher ground or inland. Tsunamis can occur due to near aftershocks.

Tsunamis

Source: https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/101188796-187635007.jpg?v=1532564605&w=740&h=416&ffmt=webp

Although this disaster is rare in the country, it could devastate once it occurred. The Philippines is vulnerable to tsunamis as offshore faults and trenches surround it. If you’re near the ocean, immediate evacuation is a must. Unusual activities of animals such as birds flying away from the ocean or dogs panicking might be a sign of a tsunami.

What to do in a Tsunami:

Before:
1. Teach your family the signs of a potential tsunami. Some of them are earthquakes, loud roars from the ocean, or unusual ocean behavior (sudden low-tide and rise of a wall of water).
2. Map out your routes from home, work, and school for evacuation. Pick shelters that are 100 feet or more above sea level, or at least one mile inland.
3. Prepare clothes, a first-aid kit, flashlights, battery-operated radios, food, and other essential needs for evacuation. You can add whistles and other useful things for your survival pack.
4. Be alert always for Tsunami warnings from the authorities. If signs and warnings are present, evacuate your family to higher grounds or inland immediately.
(If an earthquake occurred first, do your safety measures first during earthquakes).

During:
1. If an earthquake occurred first, do the safety procedures during earthquakes.
2. After the earthquake and natural signs or official warnings of a tsunami are present, evacuate your family immediately to a safe place as high and as far inland as possible.
3. If the tsunami’s distance is near, seek the nearest high places in the area (like Multi-storied and reinforced concrete hotels). There, getting your family to the upper floors may reduce the risk of the impact of the tsunami.
4. If possible, stay away from windows, glass walls, or any object made of glass to prevent major injuries once the tsunami hits you.
5. If evacuating or moving away is impossible (for example, water is going to hit you at once), do the drop-cover-hold position or crouch down as your arms, hands, and knees cover your head and body. If you are in the water, grab onto something that floats, such as a raft or tree trunk.

After:
1. Listen to local alerts and authorities for information on areas to avoid and shelter locations.
2. Avoid wading in flood water, which can contain dangerous debris and the risk of electrocution. Do not touch electrical equipment if it is wet or if you are standing in water.
3. Stay away from damaged buildings, roads, and bridges.

If you get stranded in high places within the flooded area, stay put with your family and wait for rescue. If phone signals are available, contact your emergency hotlines.

Volcanic Eruption

sources: https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/104968282-RTX4JV6D.jpg?v=1529452424&w=740&h=416&ffmt=webp

Being in the “Pacific Ring of Fire”, the Philippines is home to 300 volcanoes. Like earthquakes and tsunamis, we cannot predict when volcanic eruptions will occur. Yet, signs and alert levels help people be aware of the disaster before the major eruption of a volcano.

What to do in a Volcanic Eruption:

Before
1. Be aware of the warnings from the local authorities. As soon as possible, evacuate your home as the authorities said so.
2. Know and teach your family where the nearest evacuation center is. Plan your meeting points too, in case your family gets separated during the disaster.
3. Prepare clothes, a first-aid kit, flashlights, battery-operated radios, food, and other essential needs for evacuation. You can add whistles and other useful things for your survival pack. Pack masks, too, to prevent inhaling ash when the volcano erupts.

During:
1. If your family has not evacuated yet and clear signs of volcanic eruption are present (smoke coming out from the volcano, ashes within the air, etc.), evacuate immediately with your family. Bring your emergency-packed things, important documents, and other valuables with you. Secure your house before leaving if time allows it.
2. STAY INDOORS to prevent ashfall from entering the house. Close all windows, doors, fans, and air conditioning systems.
3. Make sure you and your family wear masks all the time to prevent inhaling the ashes
4. If there are earthquakes, drop, cover, and hold. If needed to exit the facility, it is advisable to use goggles, too (especially for kids), to prevent harmful dust from entering your eyes.
5. Stay updated on news and updates from the authorities.

After:
1. Wait for the authorities’ go signal to return home. It is advisable for children to not go home at once until the area of your residence is clean.
2. Stay updated on updates and news from authorities.
3. When it is safe to go outside, check your home if there are any damages because of the eruption.
4. Keep your gutters and roof clear of ashes as heavy ash deposits can collapse your roof.
5. Avoid dusting or sweeping when cleaning. Use a mask or a damp cloth and eye protection when cleaning up. Moisten the ash with a sprinkler before cleaning.
Report broken utility lines to authorities.
7. Make sure your family stays indoors with masks until the area and air is clean from debris and ashes.

A Few More Reminders:
1. Know and learn with your family about the emergency hotlines (local and national)
2. List all near evacuations from your home, work, and school. Plan it with your family where you should go in case you get separated during the disaster.
3. Be aware and pack what your family mostly needs during emergencies. If there are diseases in your family (like asthma, diabetes, weak heart, etc.), pack medicines and other medical needs for your family.
4. Always remember to be calm or clear-headed once a disaster occurs. Stick to your plan and be alert as you protect your family.

Being prepared is always an advantage to keep your family safe during disasters. Once you and your family are aware of what to do, it can reduce the fear, anxiety, and losses that accompany disasters. As they say, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

SOURCES

https://ndrrmc.gov.ph/attachments/article/4184/SitRep_No_15_for_Tropical_Storm_AGATON_2022_Update.pdf

https://www.adrc.asia/nationinformation.php?NationCode=608&Lang=en#:~:text=Overview%20of%20Disasters,frequent%20earthquakes%20and%20volcanic%20eruptions.

https://www.adrc.asia/view_disaster_en.php?NationCode=608&Lang=en&Key=2553

https://www.unicef.org/philippines/ready-ba-ang-pamilya-case-emergencies-and-disasters

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/620376/safety-tips-during-and-after-a-typhoon

https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/can-you-predict-earthquakes#:~:text=No.,time%20in%20the%20foreseeable%20future.
https://philnews.ph/2019/04/24/earthquake-safety-tips-dos-donts-earthquake/

https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/rthqks-wtd/index-en.aspx

https://www.phivolcs.dost.gov.ph/index.php/news/7643-prepare-for-tsunami-urges-usec-solidum#:~:text=Tsunamis%20in%20the%20Philippines%20are,Mindoro%20on%20November%2015%2C%201994.

https://www.cdc.gov/disasters/volcanoes/during.html