How to provide assistance to victims after an earthquake

An earthquake is one of the most terrible natural disasters and unfortunately in many cases there is nothing we can do. They are hard to predict and the damage they can do is enormous. There is no way to stop earthquakes, as this is a natural process on planet Earth and earthquakes happen every day, in every part of the world. Their strength varies, with the most powerful tremors resulting in major damage, loss of life and destruction of infrastructure. This calls for a swift response from the authorities to deal with the complicated situation, and there is little we can do other than minimise the damage and get out of the situation as quickly as possible. But how to provide assistance to the victims after an earthquake?

Gather information

Before taking any measures to provide assistance to earthquake victims, it is first necessary to gather as much information as possible about the situation in the disaster area. This can be done by using various information resources such as news websites, social networks, official government and international organisations, etc. From these you will learn timely and real news about what is happening, the strength of the earthquake, the extent of the damage and the need for help.

Of course, the best information you can get is first-hand information, which you can get if you have a friend who is in the area and from him learn what the victims need most at the moment.

Providing assistance to earthquake victims

Assistance after an earthquake is expressed in different ways, depending on the presence and number of victims, the material damage caused, infrastructure destroyed, etc. It mainly consists in:

• Conducting rescue operations;
• Provision of humanitarian aid, in the form of clothing, medicines, etc;
• Construction and provision of temporary shelter, in case of destroyed residential buildings;
• Providing medical services;
• Participation in volunteer groups for outreach work;
• Organizing and participating in donation campaigns to raise funds to help the victims.

How a search and rescue operation is carried out

When rescuers arrive at the earthquake site, they must assess which collapsed buildings are most likely to have people trapped underneath. To do this, they look for "voids" under large concrete slabs, beams or stairwells where there may be survivors. In this type of operation, the danger of a possible further collapse of the building, or the likelihood of leakage of gas or hazardous materials such as asbestos, flooding, etc. must also be considered. In addition to rescuers, the rescue action also involves people who monitor the movement of the building, the appearance of strange sounds, etc. Buildings that have completely collapsed are usually the last to be searched, as there is very little chance of finding survivors underneath.

Provision of humanitarian aid

Help for earthquake victims can also be in the form of donations of various items. When a large-scale earthquake occurs, many organizations launch charity campaigns to collect material resources in the form of clothing, shoes, blankets, medicine, food and other necessities. In addition to these, very often people need tents in which to be temporarily housed, heaters, sleeping bags, thermoses, portable chargers, hygiene products and more. If you decide to join such an initiative or have another idea for donations, you can contact local humanitarian organizations to learn more about what supplies are needed for the victims.

Medical aid

One more way we can provide help to victims after an earthquake is through medical services. If you are a doctor, you can join volunteer groups that go into the field and help disaster victims. When pulling people out from under the rubble, there will certainly be a need for a medical person to determine their general condition and the need for timely assistance.

Donating blood is also a way to help the injured. Learn where the blood donation stations are located and do your part to save lives.

A way to help earthquake victims is also by paying for any medical services they may need. Medical personnel, necessary equipment and medicines are key factors in providing first aid in an earthquake zone. Subsidizing medical services will greatly help in the rehabilitation of the injured.

Fundraising

Another way to help earthquake victims is by organizing or participating in donation campaigns. What you can do is to organize a fundraiser in your city. Contact local organizations to find out how you can help earthquake victims. You can also share your initiative on social media or with different foundations that are involved in charity. On their website, you can post the information you need about the disaster that has occurred, as well as the funds that are needed to deal with the situation. The funds collected will be transferred to the relevant emergency management agency.

Pavel Andreev Foundation

We, at the Pavel Andreev Foundation, stand behind every project to provide aid to victims after an earthquake. An example of such a campaign is Support for Turkey and Syria , where with the help and commitment of donors we were able to help the victims of the earthquake. Pavel Andreev, as the founder of the PavelAndreev.ORG platform, has been creating projects to benefit those in need for more than 10 years. Our team works tirelessly to realize various good causes, donation campaigns and charity.

Part of our initiative is to help people who have suffered after an earthquake. On the Pavel Andreev Foundation website you can place your appeal for help by providing the necessary information about the disaster, the extent of the damage and the need to provide assistance. How can we help you?

Through our website PavelAndreev.ORG and together with us, you can organize or participate in donation campaigns for:

• Organizing and providing humanitarian aid to the victims;
• Raising funds to provide medical supplies in the form of medical equipment, medicines, or blood donations;
• Organizing a donation campaign to raise funds to help the victims of the earthquake.

In conclusion to what has been said so far, we can say that an earthquake is a very dangerous phenomenon that can happen in any part of the world. If you want to help those who are affected in this disaster, follow the above recommendations. Show your sympathy, give your support. We at the Pavel Andreev Foundation guarantee that it will be given to those who really need it.