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Alaska plans statewide earthquake drill for Thursday

Published 6:00 am Tuesday, October 16, 2018

By Juneau Empire

In this photo provided by Vincent Nusunginya, items fallen from the shelves litter the aisles inside a Safeway grocery store following a magnitude 6.8 earthquake on the Kenai Peninsula on Sunday Jan. 24, 2016, in south-central Alaska. The quake knocked items off shelves and walls in south-central Alaska and jolted the nerves of residents in this earthquake prone region, but there were no immediate reports of injuries. (Vincent Nusunginya via the AP)

In this photo provided by Vincent Nusunginya, items fallen from the shelves litter the aisles inside a Safeway grocery store following a magnitude 6.8 earthquake on the Kenai Peninsula on Sunday Jan. 24, 2016, in south-central Alaska. The quake knocked items off shelves and walls in south-central Alaska and jolted the nerves of residents in this earthquake prone region, but there were no immediate reports of injuries. (Vincent Nusunginya via the AP)

The Alaska division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management is urging Alaskans to participate in “The Great Alaska Shakeout,” a statewide earthquake drill, at 10:18 a.m. Thursday.

The shakeout is an annual event that reminds Alaskans the steps to take when the earth shakes in a severe quake:

• Drop where you are, onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from being knocked down and also allows you to stay low and crawl to shelter if nearby.

• Cover your head and neck with one arm and hand, crawl under a sturdy table or desk, and keep away from windows.

• Hold on until shaking stops.

Being hit by a falling object and falling to the ground during shaking are the two most common causes of injury during an earthquake in the United States.

The division reminds Alaskans that the next big earthquake is a matter of when, not if.

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