What Really Saves Lives When an Earthquake Hits – 25 Practical, Bangladesh-Specific Personal Preparedness Tips for Families

Bangladesh sits on one of the most seismically active zones in the world. The Madhupur Fault, Dauki Fault, and the proximity to the Indo-Burman plate boundary mean a big one can come anytime. Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Mymensingh – no major city is truly safe. When it happens, you will have seconds, not minutes. Here are 25 things that actually work – tested in real earthquakes around the world and adapted for Bangladeshi homes, budgets, and realities.

1. Know “Drop, Cover, Hold On” by heart – not just you, every family member including the kids and elderly. Practice it monthly like a fire drill.

2. Identify safe spots in every room: under sturdy tables (preferably wooden dining tables common in BD homes), beside (not under) heavy almirahs, or next to an interior wall away from windows.

3. Bolt every heavy furniture (Godrej almirah, showcase, bookshelf) to the wall with L-brackets and screws. A 7.0 quake will turn them into killers.

4. Secure your TV, desktop computer, and inverter to the table/wall. Use anti-tip straps or museum putty.

5. Keep shoes and a torch under everyone’s bed – broken glass and no electricity are guaranteed after a strong shake.

6. Sleep with your phone fully charged and a power bank beside the bed. After the 2015 Nepal quake, many survived because they could call for help.

7. Fix flexible gas pipes (not rigid ones) for your cylinder and install an auto-cut seismic gas valve (available in Dhaka for ~৳2,500–৳4,000). Gas leaks cause fires.

8. Store at least 20 litres of drinking water per person for 3 days in strong plastic drums, not flimsy bottles.

9. Have a “Go-Bag” ready near the main door: copies of NID, birth certificates, land deeds, cash (small notes), 3-day food (dry chanachur, muri, biscuits, dates), first-aid kit, sanitary pads, baby formula if needed.

10. Tie a whistle to every child’s Go-Bag or school bag – they can blow it if trapped under debris.

11. Keep one old analog radio with spare batteries – mobile networks crash in big quakes.

12. Install a cheap fire extinguisher (ABC type) on every floor and teach everyone how to use PASS (Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep).

13. Never keep heavy objects (suitcases, trunks) on top of almirahs – they fall first.

14. Use child-proof latches on kitchen cabinets so plates and glasses don’t fly out.

15. If you live in an old brick or “soft-storey” building (ground floor open for shops), plan a secondary exit route – sometimes the staircase collapses.

16. Teach kids the “Triangle of Life” debate is mostly wrong – Drop, Cover, Hold On is still the global standard (USGS, Red Cross, NSET Nepal all agree).

17. Register your family on the “I’m Safe” feature of Facebook and Google Person Finder beforehand.

18. Keep a pair of thick leather gloves in the Go-Bag – rescuers need them to move broken concrete and glass.

19. Memorise at least two reunion points: one near home (e.g., local mosque ground), one farther (relative’s house in another area).

20. If you live in a high-rise (above 6th floor), know that elevators will stop – never use them during shaking.

21. Put red stickers on gas cylinder knob and main electrical breaker so anyone can shut them in seconds.

22. Store bleach (8 drops per litre) or water-purification tablets – piped water will be contaminated after pipes burst.

23. Keep one month’s essential medicines in a waterproof box, especially for diabetes, BP, asthma.

24. Download offline maps of Dhaka/Chittagong (Maps.me or OsmAnd) – GPS works without internet.

25. Finally, talk openly with your family about death and injury. Fear kills rational action. The families that survive best are the ones who have already accepted the worst and prepared calmly.

Bonus Bangladesh-only tip: If you live in areas like Mirpur, Banani, Uttara, or Old Dhaka where buildings were made with weak columns and no proper rebar, your best life insurance is moving to a newer, BMDC-code-compliant building when you can. Until then, these 25 steps are what actually give you a fighting chance.

Stay prepared, stay alive.  

Share this with every Bangladeshi family you know – the next quake won’t send a WhatsApp warning.