Source: National Emergency Management Agency
Nearly half of people in New Zealand would take unnecessary risks in an earthquake and could pay with their lives, the National Emergency Management Agency Te Rākau Whakamarumaru (NEMA) says.
NEMA’s chief science advisor Tom Wilson says he’s shaken at the 2026 findings of NEMA’s Annual Preparedness Survey – which revealed just 56 percent of respondents knew to Drop, Cover, Hold during an earthquake.
“The science is really clear on this point: Drop, Cover, Hold is the right action to take,” Professor Wilson says.
“If you don’t do this, you’re putting yourself in harm’s way.”
Tom Wilson says everyone in New Zealand should sign up for NZ Shakeout, New Zealand’s annual earthquake drill and tsunami hikoi, which is happening on Wednesday 21 October at 1.30pm.
“Research by Dr Nick Horspool from Earth Sciences NZ found that in the 2016 Kaikoura quake, people were twice as likely to be injured or killed if they moved to take shelter – and in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, that figure swelled to four times more likely.
“This means if you move to get under a doorway or run outside, you are putting your own life at risk.
“You might fall and injure yourself, be knocked to the ground by debris or be hit by falling objects.
“Drop, Cover, Hold needs to be instinctive – and the best way to practice is to sign up for this year’s ShakeOut.”
In an earthquake, the right action to take is:
- DROP down on your hands and knees. This stops you from falling and means you can crawl if you need to
- COVER your head and neck. If you can, duck under a desk or table if there is one right beside you; if not, cover your head and neck with your arms and hands
- HOLD on to your shelter (or keep your arms and hands around your neck and head) until the shaking stops
“These actions can vary – for example, if you’re in bed, Stay (in bed), Cover (your head and neck with the blankets) and Hold; if you use a walker or a wheelchair, Lock (your wheels), Cover and Hold.
“But in general, the advice is stay where you are, make yourself as small a target as possible and don’t move until it’s safe to do so.”
Sign up for ShakeOut and find out more about how to get your home, work and family ready for earthquakes at Getready.govt.nz.