DUCK, COVER & HOLD CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE

Three of the deadliest and most destructive earthquakes in Philippine history happened in the past two decades. In 1990, a 7.9 magnitude quake trembled Luzon, resulting to 3,792 casualties. In 2012, the quake in Negros Oriental inflicted damages worth 6.5 billion pesos. A year later, 222 lives were claimed by a 7.2 magnitude quake in Bohol.

Duck, Cover and Hold is the immediate action and effective method to protect yourself once an earthquake strikes and you are caught indoors. Drop to the floor; take cover by going under a sturdy desk or furniture; and cover your head with your arms or hold on to the furniture’s legs. When the furniture moves, you need to move with it.

The so-called “Triangle of Life” is a misguided theory of earthquake survival. It is the technique of finding the nearest solid item that can encase you in a protective triangular space. The practice suggests lying down and curving to a fetal position next to a table, sofa, bottom of the bed, or any large object that will compress slightly but will leave a void next to it where you can fit and hide.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) Director Renato Solidum, Jr. has debunked this idea in 2005, saying that, “It actually doesn’t lead to the correct procedure.” Still, the erroneous technique becomes viral in social media whenever earthquakes transpire.