After an earthquake, how long can trapped victims survive?

Associated Press

31-03-2025

NEW YORK (AP) — For those trapped in rubble after an earthquake, survival depends on many factors, including weather and access to water and air.
If their injuries aren't too severe, victims can survive for a week or more, assuming the weather isn't too hot or cold, experts say.
Rescue teams in Myanmar and Thailand are searching for survivors after Friday's 7.7 magnitude quake that toppled buildings and damaged roads. The disaster has killed more than 2,000 people in Myanmar and at least 18 in Thailand, mainly at a Bangkok office tower construction site.
Most rescues happen in the 24 hours after a disaster. The chances of survival drop with each day after that, experts say. Most victims are badly injured or buried by falling stones or other debris.
What factors affect earthquake survival?
Trapped victims are more likely to survive if they are in a debris-free pocket that prevents major injury while they await rescue, like under a sturdy desk, said geophysicist Victor Tsai from Brown University in an email. Experts call this a survivable void space.
If fire, smoke or hazardous chemicals were released as a result of the building collapse, they may decrease a person's survival odds, said emergency response expert Dr. Joseph Barbera, an associate professor at George Washington University.
Beyond that, having air to breathe and water to drink are crucial as the days go on.
'You could survive a while without food,' Barbera said. 'You could survive less without water.'
Temperatures where someone is trapped may affect survival, and temperatures outside the rubble can affect rescue missions.
Power outages and spotty communications have slowed relief operations in Myanmar, where many are searching for survivors by hand in daily temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit). A lack of heavy machinery has slowed search-and-rescue efforts.
It can be important for survivors to receive vital medical care before they are removed from the rubble, Barbera said. If not, the buildup of toxins from crushed muscles could make them go into shock after they are rescued.
After the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan, a teenager and his 80-year-old grandmother were found alive after nine days trapped in their flattened home. And the year before, a 16-year-old Haitian girl was rescued from earthquake rubble in Port-Au-Prince after 15 days.
What to do during an earthquake
The best practices for survival during an earthquake depend on where you are in the world. Building codes in regions with active fault lines are often designed to withstand earthquakes, but that doesn't hold true everywhere.
In many countries, including the United States, the best practices are to drop, seek cover and hang on unless you are close to a building exit. Seek shelter under a heavy table or near sturdy furniture that may yield a survivable pocket if the roof collapses. Cover your face with cloth or a mask to protect from dust and debris.
If you are trapped in the rubble after and earthquake, save your energy and don't overexert. Ration food and water, listen for rescue calls and search for something near you to make noise. If you have a phone with you, conserve its battery and try for help in short spurts each day.
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