Earthquake

What to Do During an Earthquake: A Full Readiness Guide

The full before, during, and after picture: fix home hazards, build a household plan, and know the short version of the response.

Last updated September 2026

A tidy living room with a tall bookcase strapped to the wall and heavy items on the low shelves
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Most of what to do during an earthquake actually happens before it. The choices you make about your home and your household plan matter more than anything you can do in the moment. The shaking itself lasts seconds. The prep work is what makes those seconds survivable.

Fix tall furniture and loose hazards now. Agree on a plan with your household. Drop, get under cover, and hold on when the shaking starts. Everything else in earthquake readiness supports that one moment, so the prep work matters more than any single item in a kit.

Before an earthquake: fix the hazards in your home

Most earthquake injuries come from things falling, not from the ground itself moving. A slow walk through your home fixes most of that risk, room by room.

  • Anchor tall bookcases and dressers to wall studs with an L-bracket.
  • Move heavy mirrors and picture frames away from beds and couches.
  • Store heavy items on low shelves instead of high ones.
  • Strap the water heater to wall studs. A fallen water heater can cause a gas leak or a flood on its own.
  • Know where your gas shutoff is. Know where your water shutoff is. Keep a wrench near the gas valve if it needs one to turn.
  • Check cabinet doors in the kitchen. A simple childproof latch keeps them from swinging open and spilling glass or cans during shaking.
  • Look up in every room. A hanging plant, a heavy light fixture, or a shelf above a bed is worth moving or securing.

Before an earthquake: build the household plan

A plan turns a scary moment into a rehearsed one.

  • Agree on the drop-cover-hold-on response as a household, so nobody hesitates.
  • Pick an out-of-area contact. Local phone lines often jam after a big quake, but texts to someone outside the region tend to get through.
  • Keep a small kit reachable. Store it somewhere you could grab it even if you cannot walk through the house.
  • Write down your utility shutoff locations. Note the gas valve, the water main, and the electrical panel.

A written family emergency plan is worth building once and keeping current. It covers the meeting spots and the contact list that make the first hour after shaking far less chaotic.

What to do during an earthquake, in short

When the shaking starts, drop where you are onto your hands and knees. Cover your head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl under it. If there is no shelter nearby, crawl next to an interior wall, away from windows. Hold on until the shaking stops.

Ready.gov says to avoid doorways. If you are in bed, it says to turn face down and cover your head and neck with a pillow.

Outdoors, move to an open area away from buildings and trees, and from streetlights and power lines, then drop and cover until the shaking stops. Driving, pull over and stop, then set your parking brake. These steps follow Ready.gov's earthquake page, which also suggests signing up for earthquake alerts.

That is the short version. For the full room-by-room breakdown, see the companion guide on what to do in an earthquake.

After an earthquake: the first hour

  • Check for injuries first, then check on neighbors if it is safe to do so.
  • Check for gas leaks. A hissing sound or a gas smell means shut off the main valve if you can, then leave and call your utility company from a safe distance.
  • Expect aftershocks. They can follow the main quake by minutes, hours, or days, and any of them can cause their own damage.
  • Inspect before re-entering any building. A cracked foundation, a leaning wall, or a strong gas smell all mean wait for a professional look.
  • Send a text to your out-of-area contact rather than trying to call.
  • Turn on a battery or hand-crank radio if power is out. Local stations carry official updates faster than most other sources in the first few hours.

Earthquake insurance and renters coverage

Standard homeowners and renters insurance policies usually do not cover earthquake damage. Earthquake coverage is typically a separate policy or an added rider, and rules vary by state and insurer.

Renters should check two things: whether a renters policy covers earthquake damage to belongings, and whether it covers additional living costs if the unit becomes unsafe to live in. Homeowners in higher-risk states, especially California and parts of the Pacific Northwest, are most likely to find earthquake-specific policies through their insurer or a state-backed program.

Where this guide's advice comes from

This guide follows the earthquake preparedness and earthquake safety tips published by FEMA, Ready.gov, the Earthquake Country Alliance, and the American Red Cross, along with earthquake science from the USGS. The CDC also publishes guidance on staying safe after a disaster, including food and water safety once utilities are back on. If a claim is not backed by one of these official sources, it does not belong here.

Learning how to prepare for an earthquake is not a one-time task. Home layouts change, households grow, and tools like ShakeAlert keep improving. Revisit this guide, your hazard hunt, and your household plan once a year, ideally around the Great ShakeOut, so the plan matches the home you actually live in today.

Renters and apartment buildings: a few extra steps

  • Talk to your landlord about the building's earthquake bracing, especially in older buildings with unreinforced masonry.
  • Anchor your own furniture the same way a homeowner would.
  • Know two exits from your unit, not just the one you use every day.
  • Keep your kit and plan the same as any household.

How often to run the drill

The Great ShakeOut happens every October as a free, global earthquake drill. A second run in spring keeps the habit fresh, especially for kids who grow and change rooms.

Each drill takes only a few minutes. Call out "earthquake," have everyone find the nearest sturdy cover, and hold the position until you call the drill over. Do it from a few different rooms across the year, since the nearest safe spot changes by location. Walk the house again after each drill with fresh eyes, since furniture and shelves get rearranged more often than most households notice.

A bookshelf that seemed fine last year might now sit closer to a bed after a move or a rearrange. Treat the walk-through as part of the drill itself, not a separate chore to skip when you are short on time.

Official sources on what to do during an earthquake

The steps in this guide follow Ready.gov's earthquake page. For quake tracking and hazard maps by area, see the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program.

Questions people also ask

What is the single most important thing to do during an earthquake?

Drop onto your hands and knees and cover your head and neck with one arm and hand. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, crawl under it. If not, crawl next to an interior wall, away from windows. Hold on until the shaking stops. This is the Ready.gov standard.

How can I prepare for an earthquake before it happens?

Anchor tall furniture and move heavy items off high shelves. Learn your gas and water shutoff locations. Then agree on a household plan that covers meeting spots, an out-of-area contact, and a reachable small kit.

What should I do right after an earthquake stops?

Check for injuries, check for gas leaks, and expect aftershocks. Inspect for structural damage before going back into any building, and text your out-of-area contact instead of calling if the phone lines are jammed.

How often should my household practice earthquake drills?

Once a year at minimum, ideally around the October Great ShakeOut. A second practice in spring helps kids and new household members stay familiar with the drop-cover-hold-on response.

Does homeowners insurance cover earthquake damage?

Usually not by default. Standard homeowners and renters policies typically exclude earthquake damage, so coverage comes from a separate policy or an added rider. Ask your insurer directly, since rules vary by state.