On November 10, 2023, Iceland declared a state of emergency after a chain of earthquakes caused by an alarming threat of a volcanic eruption, putting residents at risk. Residents of a coastal Iceland town, Grindavík, were prompted to evacuate because of the likelihood of a fatal volcanic eruption.
Iceland experiences thousands of tremors annually because of its location in between tectonic plates, especially during the past few months. Similarly, California is near the boundary of the North American tectonic plate, the San Andreas Fault, resulting in its comparable high vulnerability to earthquakes.
“We have a first aid kit filled with ice packs and bandages just in case,” said Abby Hall (‘25).
Creating a kit and an evacuation route and stocking up on food and water are necessary provisions to ensure protection. Having family earthquake plans can be the difference between safety and harm’s way.
“Growing up, my parents educated us on it, and so I was aware of the dangers, and we used to go over places in our house to go in case of the occurrence of an earthquake,” said Hope Fisher (‘25).
Using Iceland’s safety measures as a precedent, as residents were well prepared with advanced warnings, all emergency kits and strategies should be up to date. UC Berkeley’s MyShake App offers instant alerts that can warn you before an earthquake, giving you time to prepare at the last minute.
“My family could probably have more updated supplies because our supplies are really old and outdated,” said Hall (‘25).
Along with familial plans, schools are required to practice the widely known earthquake pose, “drop, cover, and hold on,” during occasional earthquake safety drills. Students are expected to duck beneath sturdy furniture, cover their heads with their arms, and hold on to make ready for a crisis.
“I feel the earthquake drills help because we know what to expect,” said Fisher (‘25).
