As the warning alarms ring, hundreds of staff members, students and volunteers respond by ducking under tables, desks and other sturdy pieces of furniture, holding on to their dear lives. After a minute, everything starts going back to normal. These chaotic scenes were in response to an earthquake preparedness drill organised by the Aga Khan University (AKU) as part of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN)’s ShakeOut – a drill that teaches people how to protect themselves during an earthquake – across Central and South Asia, covering Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Tajikistan. During the drill, staff members, faculty members, students among others followed a protocol for earthquake preparedness. The participants were told what to do and where to take shelter in case an earthquake strikes.
“Drop, cover and hold on in case you feel a tremor” was the message given to the participants.
Addressing the participants, AKDN’s Disaster Risk Management Initiative coordinator Dr Firoz Verjee said the “Drop, Cover and Hold On” technique is highly effective in reducing injuries caused by non-structural hazards. “It is crucial to remind ourselves that we live in a seismically-active part of the world and must regularly practice how to respond during earthquakes.” ShakeOut Campaign Task Force chairman Nadeem Mustafa Khan said that the drills keep the people active and build awareness. “This was indeed a learning experience for all.”
The ShakeOut drill aims to mainstream disaster management and accelerate emergency preparedness and risk reduction across AKU institutions in Afghanistan, India, Pakistan and Tajikistan. The event will be held annually to promote seismic safety consciousness and readiness throughout the region.
Speaking on the occasion, the speakers said that more than a third of all earthquakes between 1991 and 2005 around the world occurred in the Central and South Asian regions. “The quakes in Sarez, Tajikistan (1911), Gujarat, India (2001), Naryn, Kyrgyzstan (2002), and Azad Kashmir, Pakistan (2005) are examples of the seismic hazards that exist in this region and their devastating consequences.”
The AKU since its chartering in 1983, the university often conducts such practices for the safety of its staff members, students and faculty.