ANATOMY OF AN EARTHQUAKE

Conclusion of Beyond Survival

As mentioned in our opening article, sometimes there is a great need not only for material aid but also for emotional support.  For example, when an earthquake paralyzed the city of Armenia in western Colombia early in 1999, more than a thousand lost their lives, and many more were left in the state of shock and despair. Said one psychiatrist Roberto Estefan, whose own apartment  building was destroyed in the disaster:  "Wherever you go, people are asking for help.  I go out for a hamburger, and most of the people say hello seize the moment to tell me about their insomnia and their sadness." 

As Dr.Estefan well knows, the emotional aftershocks of an earthquake can be devastating. One  woman who volunteered to help construct a relief camp noted that some people who have jobs don't bother to go to work because they believe that they will die soon. 

BE PREPARED!

* Make sure that water heaters are bolted down and that heavy objects are either on the floor or on lower shelves.

* Teach family members how to turn off electric power as well as gas and water.

* Equip your home with a fire extinguisher and a first-aid kit.

* Keep a portable radio on hand with fresh batteries. 

*Hold family drills, and emphasize the need to  (1) stay calm,  (2) turn off stoves and heaters, (3) stand in a doorway or get under a table or a desk, and (4) stay away from windows, mirrors, and chimneys.   

Next time: ANATOMY OF AN EARTHQUAKE/Providing Hope Amid Despair 

From the Awake!  magazine