New guideline to help public better prepare for earthquakes

Left: People attend a ceremony to commemorate the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan province on Monday. Right: Attendees from various sectors lay wreaths and flowers to honor the victims of the earthquake and the heroes who sacrificed their lives in the rescue efforts. （CHEN SHUO/FOR CHINA DAILY）

Aimed at enhancing public awareness on earthquake prevention and response, the China Earthquake Administration on Monday released a national outline as the country marked its 17th National Disaster Prevention and Reduction Day.

Monday also marked the 17th anniversary of an 8.0 magnitude earthquake that devastated Wenchuan in Sichuan province, causing massive casualties and damage.

The new guideline is China's first national compilation of its kind and includes 18 items covering topics such as earthquake monitoring, prediction, emergency alerts, rumor control and survival skills.

China is among the world's most seismically active and disaster-prone nations, Shen Zhanli, a spokeswoman for the Ministry of Emergency Management, said at a news conference in Beijing on Monday.

Although China's landmass makes up just 7 percent of the global total, it experiences 33 percent of the world's continental earthquakes, Shen said. About 57 percent of China's population and 58 percent of its land area are in high-risk earthquake zones.

The outline emphasizes that while earthquakes are natural and unavoidable phenomena, their disastrous impacts can be mitigated through preparedness and informed action.

When a major quake strikes nearby, the first aftereffect is often a strong vertical jolt, followed by more intense shaking or swaying seconds later, the document said.

It also clarifies the distinction between earthquake predictions and early warnings. Predictions, it notes, remain a global scientific challenge that are still in the exploratory stage. In contrast, early warnings are issued moments after a destructive earthquake occurs, providing several to dozens of seconds of lead time before seismic waves reach unaffected areas.

However, the document cautions that such warnings have limitations — including blind spots, false alarms and missed alerts.

In July, China completed its national earthquake early warning project, which had been under construction for five years. Now being the world's largest such system, it enables people to receive alerts in fractions of seconds before the damaging waves arrive, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The outline also urges the public to learn basic earthquake preparedness behaviors and to make use of technology, such as mobile apps and social media, to access alert services. It explains China's four-tier early warning system — red, orange, yellow and blue — and advises people not to spread unverified earthquake information.

Other preparedness tips include assembling an emergency kit, identifying nearby shelters and evacuation routes, and taking immediate protective actions during a quake — such as dropping, covering and holding on.

If trapped under debris, individuals are advised to seek help wisely, conserve energy and wait patiently for their rescue.