You have successfully survived the seismic shaking but you are still not completely safe. This might well be a foreshock, and the devastating one might just be approaching. So, don’t let your guards down, and don’t compromise with safety. You can be shaken again by aftershocks that generally follow the main shock, and often devastate […]
Search Results for: earthquake
Survive an earthquake
Stay as safe as possible during an earthquake. Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks, and a larger earthquake might follow. Minimize your movements to a few steps that reach a nearby safe place, and stay indoors until the shaking has stopped, and you are sure exiting is safe. If indoors If you are […]
Earthquake preparedness
Structural safety Earthquakes don’t kill but buildings do, and therefore seismogenic losses can be averted by building structures using earthquake safe construction practices, and improving seismic performance of old structures using retrofitting technique together with non-structural retrofitting. Follow BIS codes relevant to your area for building standards. Repair deep plaster cracks in ceilings and foundations. […]
What is an earthquake?
Shaking of ground caused mostly by gradual built up, and sudden release of energy due to tectonic movements is referred to as earthquake. Energy released, or magnitude of an earthquake is measured by Richter Scale, while the impact, or intensity of an earthquake is measured by Mercalli Scale. The place below the ground surface where […]
Dolakha Earthquake of May 12, 2015
Tuesday May 12, 2015 I distinctly remember having experienced the violent shaking of Dolakha Earthquake. It was Tuesday May 12, 2015, and preparedness of the state governments to face an earthquake were being reviewed by the Ministry of Home Affairs through video conferencing. A routine exercise often undertaken ritualistically, particularly after major disaster events in […]
The Six-Hour Commute and the Trapped Siren
Choked Lifelines: How Tourist Traffic Gridlocks are Blocking Himalayan Ambulances: Santa laughs off a massive traffic jam near Nainital as a normal holiday delay. Banta dissects the dangerous mechanics of mountain gridlocks, explaining how illegal horizontal parking and uncoordinated vehicle surges choke narrow valley roads, preventing critical emergency access and pricing out local mobility.
The Sarpanch’s Pillars and the Domino Effect
The Domino Effect of Disaster Safety: Santa is yelling into an empty megaphone trying to save his village from the next big earthquake, but everyone is ignoring him. Banta steps in to show why targeting a single high-status community leader is more effective than a thousand public posters. Discover the psychological power of “Social Proof” in disaster risk reduction.
The Expired Pill and the Mirage of the Go-Bag
Why Go-Bags Stay Empty: Santa wants to cure his illness with expired, self-prescribed antibiotics to save a trip to the doctor. Banta reveals why this micro-level casualness is the exact reason why macro-disaster preparedness kits and home retrofitting fail across India. Read why safety is a childhood habit, not a panic reaction.
The ‘Schadenfreude’ Shield and the Looming Clock
The Mirror in the Screen: Santa thinks watching distant landslide and earthquake videos is just a safe way to spend his afternoon. Banta shatters the psychological illusion of safety, proving that our high-density towns share the exact same structural destiny unless we use social media to build active, localized community response frameworks.
The ‘Likes’ Lottery and the Bricks of Doom
The Price of a Viral Click: Santa is celebrating fifty thousand views on a tragic foreign earthquake video, chasing digital popularity. Banta steps in to expose the hollow morality of “disaster porn” and explains how we must weaponize our social media reach to share actionable seismic safety tips before our own fragile towns become the next viral headline.