Among the dangers that people have to reckon with are volcanoes, there are a great many of them on the planet, both active and asleep or already extinct. They are located in close proximity to the faults of the earth's crust, in zones of tectonic activity. Consider the rules of safe behavior during an eruption of a volcano, we will figure out how to act, and which, on the contrary, should be avoided.
What is the danger
Volcanic eruption has several factors dangerous to humans:
- Hot lava flows (magma).
- Stones and ash can be thrown from craters.
- Often the eruption is accompanied by mud flows and floods.
- A frequent companion of volcanic activity is an earthquake of various strengths.
- Even if the eruption has passed, the danger remains - volcanic ash often causes allergic reactions.
That is why every person, even living outside the zone of seismic activity, needs to know the rules of conduct during a volcanic eruption. Often on vacation in hot countries - Greece, Bali, India - such disasters occur. And if local residents, accustomed to them, know how to act, then tourists succumb to panic.
Training
Going on vacation to places where there are volcanoes, even dormant ones, one should prepare, carefully monitor reports of possible eruptions, take this information into account, and leave the danger zone in a timely manner. What other rules of conduct during a volcanic eruption should you know?
Further, the volcano can be located at a sufficient distance from the village, so there is no reason to be afraid of lava flows, but ash is likely to fall out. Having learned about this, it is necessary to carefully close the doors and windows in the home, stock up on food and necessarily fresh drinking water for a period of 5-7 days. In addition, everyone in the seismically active zone must always have a “disturbing suitcase” assembled, where you must put:
- First-aid kit with the necessary medicines.
- Battery radio and flashlight.
- Map.
- Sheets, warm clothes for every member of the family.
Animals should not remain on the street, they should be placed in the house, otherwise the four-legged friends may not survive the catastrophe. If you have a car, you must put it in the garage in advance. Otherwise, ash falling into the motor may damage the vehicle.
At home
Consider the rules of conduct during the eruption of the volcano on points, if a disaster caught people in their house:
- Close windows, doors, ventilation.
- Keep calm, do not give in to panic, do not try to run away. It is very important not to leave the shelter.
- If someone from your relatives is currently at work or in an educational institution, do not try to find him by all means. Better to stay in a safe haven.
- Turn on the radio and listen to the messages of the Ministry of Emergencies. All information about the course of the disaster and the course of action of the population will be transmitted.
You may need to be evacuated, so you need to be prepared to leave the shelter after hearing the appropriate instructions on the radio.
When on the street
Consider the rules of conduct during an eruption of a volcano when away from home:
- Immediately protect your head and body from stones and ash with clothing.
- It is very important to protect the airways with a cotton-gauze bandage, if it is not with you, you can use clothes, preferably made from natural fabrics and slightly moistened with water. For example, tear off a sleeve from a shirt and make an impromptu respirator from it.
- The eruption may be accompanied by flooding, so it should be saved in elevated areas.
If a catastrophe found a person in the immediate vicinity of a seismically unstable region, then the rules of conduct during a volcanic eruption are as follows:
- Covering your head with clothes, you should run towards the road.
- When moving in a personal car, you should expect the wheels to get stuck in ashes. In this case, the vehicle will have to be left and saved by yourself.
- Having noticed a ball of gas and hot dust in the distance, it is necessary to take refuge in an underground shelter, they are found in most seismically dangerous areas. If this is impossible for some reason, it is best to dive under the water and wait.
Once under a “hail” of volcanic emissions, you should sit on the ground with your back to the volcano, protecting your head with your hands, bag, backpack - in any way.
Ashfall
Another danger that accompanies volcanic activity is ash. It is necessary to act as follows:
- Thoroughly close all the windows and doors in the house, plug in large gaps.
- Without extreme need not to go out.
- If necessary, go out into the street should wear a protective suit, which can not be brought into the house.
- If ash enters the house, all people should immediately wear respirators or cotton-gauze dressings. If it was not possible to prepare these protective equipment in advance, a towel will protect the respiratory system.
- Household appliances are covered with a film or a dense cloth, they cannot be used during ashfall.
After the ashfall is completed, you should do the cleaning in the house, after putting on a cotton-gauze bandage. It is very important to immediately clear the roof of ash and other volcanic emissions, they are often quite heavy and can cause collapse.
What can not be done
We briefly reviewed the rules of conduct during a volcanic eruption. There are some things that cannot be done during this disaster:
- In no case should you hide in basements and cellars; people can be buried under a layer of ash.
- Hiding in ravines and ravines, if the eruption found on the street, also should not be, because in the event of a flood, people will be trapped.
- After the eruption, do not use the car; falling ash can damage the motor.
- If you need to go out, do not wear synthetics, it can catch fire under the influence of gases.
- If a catastrophe caught a person on the street, you can’t lie down on the ground, since heavy toxic gases are concentrated here, so there is a high risk of poisoning.
These rules of conduct during the eruption of a volcano will help to survive and not suffer. The most important thing is not to succumb to panic, to provide assistance to those who need it (weak, wounded, senior citizens, children). More often than not, people living in seismically unstable areas know what needs to be done, so it is better for visitors to consult with them.