Earthquake
An earthquake is when the ground shakes. This is the result of seismic energy, caused by sudden changes in the earth's crust.
Risks and causes
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BEFORE
- Find out in advance if your home is in a risk area.
- For new buildings, apply the EUROCODE 8 standard, adapted to your region.
- Secure heavy furniture to prevent it from falling over.
- Hang mirrors and frames securely on the wall.
- Do not hang heavy objects around your bed.
DURING
If you are inside
- Are you near an exit? See if you can safely leave the building and go to an open space away from buildings.
- Take cover under a table, desk, bed or other sturdy piece of furniture and hold on to it until the shaking stops.
- Cover your head and torso to protect yourself from objects that may fall on you.
- If there is no sturdy furniture under which you can take shelter, crouch down along an interior wall.
- Stay away from the windows.
If you are outside
- Go to an open area, away from buildings, electrical cables or anything that could collapse (e.g. bridges).
- Are you in a public place? Then seek shelter somewhere where you stay out of the crowd.
If you are driving
- Try to stop in a safe place where you are not blocking the road. Allow free passage for emergency vehicles.
- Stop and stay in your car.
- Listen to the radio to keep up to date with the situation.
- Do not leave your vehicle if electrical cables have fallen on it. Wait until the emergency services come to help you.
AFTER
- Be prepared for aftershocks.
- Do not smoke or create flames or sparks.
- Check whether your home has suffered any structural damage. Also check that there are no other hazards. If you think your home is no longer safe, do not enter and call in an expert, e.g. a fireman, a civil engineer, etc.
- If you are able to return home, shut off the gas and electricity supply to avoid a leak. After an earthquake there is a risk of damaged pipes.
- Have your chimney checked. A damaged chimney can lead to CO in your home.
- Take pictures of the damage. This may help in your insurance claim.
- You can always share information and your experience on www.seismologie.be. This information may be useful to the emergency services.
Impact and probability
The figures relating to probability and impact describe a considerable earthquake. The BNRA theoretically describes such a scenario as follows:
- Energy is released with a moment magnitude greater than 4.5 Mw.
- It is a weekday in spring. The children are at school.
- The stricken area is limited (around 300 km²). The damage intensity is at least VII on the EMS-98 scale.
- It is a rural, sparsely populated area with little infrastructure. There is no critical infrastructure. The quality of buildings in the area generally complies with construction standards for earthquakes.
How should you interpret these results?
Within the BNRA, experts assessed three scenarios for each risk: considerable, major or extreme. On each page, you will find the results of the scenario with the highest score based on the combination of likelihood and impact. This does not mean that this scenario will occur or is the most likely. Read more here about how to correctly interpret the results.
Probability
Weak
Human impact
Very weak
Societal impact
Very weak
Environmental impact
No impact
Financial impact
Weak
What do the authorities do?
The main risk of earthquakes is damaged or collapsed buildings. Since 2011, a European standard (Eurocode 8) has been in force, with provisions for buildings to withstand earthquakes.
The Royal Observatory of Belgium continuously measures seismic activity in Belgium. If an earthquake is detected, it informs the necessary partners. Municipalities, provinces or the national crisis center then trigger the general emergency and intervention plan.