Earthquake safety refers to the precautions and measures taken to protect individuals and property during and after an earthquake. This encompasses a variety of practices aimed at minimizing the risk of injury or damage, including but not limited to the following concepts:
1. **Preparedness**: Taking proactive steps before an earthquake occurs, such as creating emergency kits, developing communication plans, and securing heavy furniture to walls to prevent tipping.
2. **Response**: Knowing how to react during an earthquake, including the “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” technique, which encourages individuals to get low, take cover under sturdy furniture, and hold on until the shaking stops.
3. **Structural Safety**: Engineering buildings and infrastructure to withstand seismic forces, which involves adhering to building codes and retrofitting older structures to enhance their resilience.
4. **Aftercare**: Implementing safety measures following an earthquake, including assessing structural damage, avoiding aftershocks, and understanding potential supply shortages.
Overall, earthquake safety aims to reduce the impact of seismic events on communities and promote preparedness and resilience among individuals and organizations.
Kochi Prefecture faces the impending Nankai Trough Earthquake, expected within thirty years with catastrophic effects. The local government provides subsidies—up to 1.65 million yen—for seismic retrofitting of homes built before…