Lombok has recently been the centre of two earthquakes of rather high fatality rate at Magnitude 6.4 on July 29th and Magnitude 7 on August 5th, 2018. The quakes originated in the ocean 13 kilometres off the North Lombok Regency, affecting the island’s nearest neighbour, Bali.
Reports have been pouring from all over the land regarding the quake, which sadly have taken the life of 39 people and damaged quite a number of vehicles and establishments.
An earthquake is, admittedly, an almost surreal experience to have. At first we might not be aware of what was happening; and then we start to feel it.
After some moments passed, we might think that our mind was just playing with us, and went back to whatever we were doing before. And then it came back with a much more force, and we looked at the water bottle just to see the surface rippling like crazy. So we were right, then.
The next thing would usually be a question: what do I do next?
Just like in any other emergency situations, the main and first thing that you can do is actually the hardest one to do: trying to remain calm and snapping out of the panic mode.
The next thing, would be looking around your location. Are you indoor, or outdoor?
If you find yourself being in a room, the best thing you can do is actually to stay inside and duck yourself under a solid table. Do not get out of the room and try to use the stairs, escalators, or elevators.
When you feel the quake stopping and things are no longer moving, calmly get out of the room and speed walk to the assembly points appointed by your hotel/building. It helps so much to read the emergency route card on the back of your hotel rooms, and have your phone on your hand to find live news of the quake while using the torch feature to shine your way out.
However, if you’re outdoor during an earthquake, avoid any building and trees and get as far away as you can from those two things. Find an open field and wait there until things have settled down.
If you were driving, find a space to pull over as fast as you can and get out of the car. Again, avoid buildings and tall trees to remain safe.
Those are some of the most basic things to do if you’re experiencing an earthquake. We pray for everybody to be safe and have an enjoyable holiday in Bali!
