Recent tremors have residents talking, here’s what you should know and how to stay prepared

On Sunday, April 19, The National Centre of Meteorology reported a minor earthquake in the United Arab Emirates. The earthquake in the UAE took place in Al Halah, Fujairah, and was measured at 2.0 on the Richter Scale. It was recorded at 9.15pm UAE time and had a depth of 3.9 kilometres.

Some residents might have felt a slight tremor in the affected areas, but for those in urban areas like Dubai, this is news as no tremors were reported here or any damage.

Minor earthquakes are not completely uncommon in the UAE, and are usually nothing to worry about. There are about three per year in the country and most people won’t even notice. If you are worried, here is what you should do in the event of an earthquake in the UAE. The National Centre of Meteorology advised in 2021 that in the event of an earthquake, one must remain calm and act both quickly and wisely to ensure safety.

Indoors:

  • If you are indoors protect your head and face with something light but strong, or hide under a table or bed.
  • Avoid hanging or loose objects, mirrors, glass and windows
  • Avoid elevators
  • Once the earthquake is over, turn off power supplies including electricity, gas and water in the house before leaving

Outdoors:

  • Avoid towers and tall buildings as much as possible
  • Head to an open space
  • Watch out for walls, and unstable objects
  • Do not try and enter buildings

Driving:

  • Pull over in a safe place and wait for earthquake to stop
  • Avoid bridges, powerlines and buildings as much as possible.

Image: NCM