Washington, USA: Statewide earthquake 'drop, cover and hold' exercise

April is Emergency/Disaster Preparedness Month for the State of Washington.

Wednesday, April 25th is the statewide earthquake Drop, Cover & Hold exercise. Whether you’re at school, work or home, everyone is encouraged to join in for the annual earthquake practice of getting under a table, desk or counter top, covering your head and neck, and holding on to stay safe whenever an earthquake strikes.

Background

Earthquakes are sudden releases of stored energy in the earth's crust. The shaking caused by this sudden shift is often very small, but occasionally large earthquakes produce very strong ground motion. This strong shaking can cause ground failure, landslides, liquefaction, and even trigger tsunamis.  The 2011 magnitude 9.0 earthquake in Japan reminds one of the possibility of an earthquake happening in Washington. It should also remind us that we must be prepared to deal with the impact of an earthquake.