What to do in case of landslides, mudflows and landslides in order to escape

A landslide is the displacement of huge masses of earth down a slope under the weight of its own weight. Mudflow is a stream of water and mud that moves at high speed and carries pieces of rocks, boulders and small stones. Collapse - stone fragments of various sizes flying from the top.

These natural disasters occur in mountainous areas and can be life threatening. Let's figure out how not to let the elements take you by surprise and what to do if you still find yourself in an emergency zone.

How to prepare for possible mudflows, landslides and collapses

If you live in an area where there is danger landslides, landslides or mudflows, get ready to possible cataclysms in advance.

Explore the features of the area

find out, where mudflows usually come down from the mountains, and do not visit these places after heavy rains or during the period of ice melting. Remember in which areas landslides occur and where the boundaries of dangerous areas pass.

Strengthen your home and help others

Check if the walls, roof, main supporting structures are sufficiently reliable. If your locality is preparing for a meeting with the elements, it may be that emergency services will need your help. Participate in the construction of systems of general protection against possible disasters.

Follow the information about the formation of mudflows and landslides

Read or watch weather forecasts. Always open SMS messages from the local Ministry of Emergency Situations - as a rule, they write the most up-to-date information.

Report signs of an incipient landslide to emergency services

If your home is in a dangerous area, jammed doors or windows can be an alarm. Such an effect can be caused by small movements of the earth on the slope. If you notice similar changes, report to the Ministry of Emergency Situations or to the landslide station. Maybe your information will help to prepare in time for the impact of the elements.

Find out how to get information in an emergency

If forecasts indicate that the danger of a cataclysm is increased, turn on the local media and follow the situation in real time. Pay attention to the sounds of a siren or information from outdoor loudspeakers. So you do not miss urgent messages from the administration and signals about the beginning evacuation.

Know evacuation routes in advance

If a mudflow or landslide catches you in the mountains, you must know exactly how to quickly get away from mud flows or moving earth masses.

Perhaps you will hear about the impending evacuation of the house. In this case, you must clearly understand where you need to go or go, where the collection points are and how best to get out of the disaster area by car.

Prepare documents and essentials

Put all the main documents in one folder. Make a list in advance of the things you will take with you when you evacuate. If you think that you will not be able to pack quickly or forget something, put alarm bag with things in advance. It must contain:

1. Medications you take on a regular basis.
2. First aid kit - bandage, plaster, painkillers, antiseptic.
3. Medical records if any of your family members have chronic diseases.
4. Two or three sets of underwear.
5. A set of clothes for the season, warm clothes.
6. A set of home clothes and shoes - slippers, T-shirt, sports or pajama pants.
7. Hygiene products - wet wipes, pads, diapers for babies.
8. Food supply for three days. Be sure to take products that do not need heat treatment - canned food, bread, biscuits, chocolate.
9. Chargers for smartphone, tablet or laptop. You may need a charged power bank.

Save calm and be prepared to act quickly.

What to do during a collapse, landslide or mudflow

If the landslide is already developing, but its speed is several meters per month, evacuation may not be necessary. But it is better to prepare in advance for any development of the situation. It is worth moving furniture and belongings to a safe place. It makes sense to disassemble buildings on the garden plot, which the elements can destroy.

When you hear a signal about a powerful landslide that moves at a speed of more than half a meter per day, about a mudflow avalanche or rockfall, get ready for immediate evacuation.

If you are at home

Act according to a pre-planned plan.

• Bring all things into the house from the yard or from the balcony. If possible, pack things that can be damaged by moisture in plastic wrap.
• Remove poisonous and flammable substances from your home. They can be buried in the garden or placed in the cellar. The entrance to the cellar must also be carefully closed.
• Shut off electricity, gas and water. Unplug electrical appliances from sockets. Disconnect the gas cylinder if using it.
• Close doors, windows, and vents tightly. This is necessary so that the streams of dirt and water do not get into the house.

Then go to paragraph organized evacuation or leave the settlement in your car. If you are leaving on your own, find out a safe route in advance, as well as find out where to find a help center for evacuees.

If you are caught in a landslide and your house is moving along with the soil on which it stands, you need to get out of the room. Try to stay close to the center and as high as possible. Stay away from the edges of the moving area.

If you are away from home

You can hear the noise of mudflows or the roar of stones when you are on the street of your settlement. Perhaps you will find yourself in the mountains - alone or with a group. In these cases, you need to immediately leave from the bed of the approaching stream.

• In a village or citymove not in the opposite direction from the flow, but sideways. Safe places will be mountain slopes or other elevations where there is no danger of mudflows or landslides. Try to get to these areas as quickly as possible.
• Inform your neighbors about the approaching disaster. If the noise of the raging elements caught you on the street of a village or city, talk about the danger to everyone you meet along the way. Perhaps someone will learn about the collapse or avalanche from you.
• In the mountains urgentlywalk from the line of mudflow or landslide. Use the same tactic - move to the side and up. If you are in a lowland, immediately rise to a height of more than 50-100 meters. Remember that during mudflows, heavy stones can fly out of the stream. Their high speed makes them life-threatening, so try not to delay.

You can not hide in the valleys and gorges. They too can turn into mudflow channels.

What to do when a landslide, mudflow or collapse ends

If you made an emergency rescue from the elements and made it to the nearest safe place, make sure that the threat is no longer there. After that, return to your locality.

With a working connection, let your loved ones know that you are all right.

Then if you feel good Help emergency rescuers. You can join the search for the victims and the analysis of the rubble.

If you yourself suffered, ask for help.

Do not enter the house until it has been inspected by experts. They must make sure that the supporting structures are in order. It is important to check that there is no gas leak in the housing. Do not turn on the electricity until you receive confirmation that the network is working.

Continue to monitor information from emergency services. In this case, the new cataclysm will not take you by surprise.