During an earthquake, the most important thing people should do is to protect their head, the National Fire Agency said, adding that everyone should remember to “get down, find cover and stay still.”
Ideal places to take shelter include under beds and tables, Disaster Management Division chief Yang Yen-he (楊豔禾) said.
If a person is in bed and there is no time to take cover when a quake occurs, blankets or pillows can also be used, Yang said.
Do not try to check the ceiling or lights, because things could fall from above, Yang said, adding that it is also important to find a pair of shoes in preparation to flee the building if necessary.
The Central Weather Bureau also offered some tips, saying that earthquake preparation should involve knowing how to turn the gas, water and electricity on and off, securing hanging objects, ensuring cabinets are properly locked and not placing heavy objects on high shelves.
People should also secure heavy furniture, know the place they will take shelter and ensure that fire equipment is maintained and fully operational, it said.
During an earthquake, people should keep calm; turn off the gas, water and electricity if possible; and protect themselves from falling objects, it said, adding that if outdoors, keep away from cliffs, riverbanks and coastal areas, do not try to rush out of a building and do not use elevators.
Afterward, check if people nearby are hurt or in need of assistance, and listen to the radio for emergency instructions and disaster reports, it said.
It is also important to wear shoes or other footwear to avoid being injured by broken glass or other sharp objects, it said, adding that people should check the structural integrity of their surroundings and leave immediately if there is damage.
When evacuating, take the stairs and stay away from coastal areas in case there is a tsunami, and be prepared for aftershocks, it added.
A group of Taiwanese-American and Tibetan-American students at Harvard University on Saturday disrupted Chinese Ambassador to the US Xie Feng’s (謝鋒) speech at the school, accusing him of being responsible for numerous human rights violations. Four students — two Taiwanese Americans and two from Tibet — held up banners inside a conference hall where Xie was delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of the Harvard Kennedy School China Conference 2024. In a video clip provided by the Coalition of Students Resisting the CCP (Chinese Communist Party), Taiwanese-American Cosette Wu (吳亭樺) and Tibetan-American Tsering Yangchen are seen holding banners that together read:
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