Drop, Cover, Hold On — the earthquake drill every Nepali family should practise
Learn the internationally recommended Drop, Cover and Hold On response and how to run a simple, regular earthquake drill at home so your family reacts correctly in the seconds that matter.
When the ground starts shaking, you have only a few seconds to protect yourself, and panic is the enemy. Studies of past earthquakes show most injuries come not from buildings fully collapsing but from falling objects, flying glass, and people getting hurt while trying to run outside during the shaking.
The response recommended worldwide — including in Nepal's school and workplace safety drills — is simple: Drop, Cover and Hold On. It is easy to remember and works in most situations. The catch is that under real stress people freeze or run, so the skill has to be practised until it becomes automatic.
This guide explains exactly what Drop, Cover, Hold On means, when there are exceptions, and how to run a five-minute family drill that even small children and elderly relatives can join.
What Drop, Cover and Hold On actually means
Each word is an action. The aim is to get low so the shaking cannot throw you down, protect your head and neck from falling objects, and stay protected until the shaking stops.
- Drop — immediately get down onto your hands and knees before the quake knocks you over. This position protects you and lets you crawl to shelter.
- Cover — cover your head and neck with one arm. If a sturdy table or desk is nearby, get under it; if not, crawl next to a low, sturdy piece of furniture or an interior wall away from windows.
- Hold On — hold on to your shelter (or your head and neck) until the shaking stops. If under a table, hold a leg and move with it if it shifts.
Why running outside is usually the wrong move
Many Nepalis instinctively run for the door or down the stairs when shaking starts. During strong shaking this is dangerous: you can be thrown down the stairs, hit by falling plaster and glass, or struck at the exit, which is one of the most damage-prone parts of a building.
The rule is: if you are indoors, stay indoors and take cover. Only move outside if you are already on the ground floor, very close to a clear exit, and the way out is safe. Once you are outside, move away from buildings, walls, electric poles and trees to an open space.
Special situations: bed, wheelchair, outdoors, vehicle
Drop, Cover, Hold On is the default, but a few situations need a different response. Teach these to your family too.
- In bed — stay in bed, turn face down and cover your head and neck with a pillow. You are safer than crossing a dark, shaking room.
- Using a wheelchair or unable to get down — lock the wheels, lean forward and cover your head and neck with your arms or a cushion.
- Outdoors — move to an open space away from buildings, boundary walls, electric poles and trees, then drop and cover your head.
- In a vehicle — pull over away from bridges, flyovers, poles and buildings, stop, and stay inside with your seatbelt on until the shaking stops.
- Near the coast or a river in a steep area — after the shaking, move to higher ground in case of landslides or flooding (relevant for hill and Terai river areas).
How to run a five-minute family drill
A drill turns knowledge into a reflex. Do it as a family, make it light-hearted so children are not frightened, and repeat it every few months until everyone reacts without thinking.
- Pick a day and tell everyone you will practise an earthquake drill; choose someone to shout 'Earthquake!' as the signal.
- On the signal, everyone does Drop, Cover, Hold On wherever they are — count slowly to 30 to mimic real shaking.
- Look around from your cover spot: what would fall on you here? Note hazards to fix later.
- When the count ends, practise the 'after' steps: check each other for injuries, put on shoes, and calmly move to your agreed family meeting point outside.
- Talk for two minutes about what went wrong (a blocked exit, a heavy shelf, a child who ran) and agree how to improve, then repeat in a few months.
Make your safe spots safe
A drill often reveals that the 'safe' spot under the shaking would actually be hit by a falling almirah, a glass window, or a ceiling fan. Before the next drill, fix the worst hazards: anchor tall furniture and water heaters to the wall, move heavy items to low shelves, and keep beds and sitting areas away from large windows and unsecured cupboards.
Agree on one indoor cover spot per room and one outdoor family meeting point — for example, a nearby open ground or chowk away from buildings — so everyone knows where to regroup if you get separated.
Key takeaways
- ✓The default response is Drop, Cover and Hold On — practise it until it is automatic.
- ✓Do not run outside or down stairs during strong shaking; exits and stairwells are dangerous.
- ✓Protect your head and neck; most quake injuries come from falling objects, not collapse.
- ✓Special rules apply in bed, in a wheelchair, outdoors and in vehicles — teach all of them.
- ✓Run a short family drill every few months and agree on a meeting point outside.
- ✓Use each drill to spot and fix hazards near your cover spots.
Drop, Cover, Hold On — FAQ
Should I stand in a doorway during an earthquake?+
No. The old 'stand in a doorway' advice is outdated for modern buildings. Doorways are no stronger than the rest of the structure and you can be hurt by a swinging door or crowded near an exit. Drop, Cover and Hold On instead.
Why shouldn't I run outside when shaking starts?+
During strong shaking you can be thrown down, hit by falling plaster, glass and debris, and exits are among the most dangerous spots. Stay indoors and take cover unless you are already at a safe ground-floor exit.
What if I am in bed when an earthquake hits?+
Stay in bed, turn face down and cover your head and neck with a pillow. Crossing a dark, shaking room to reach a table is more dangerous than staying put.
How often should we practise an earthquake drill?+
Practise as a family at least two or three times a year, and whenever you move home or a new person joins the household. Repetition is what makes the response automatic under real stress.
Sources & data note
These guides explain widely-accepted SEO, AEO and GEO practice as documented by Google Search Central, schema.org and current industry research. Search and AI systems evolve continually — treat specific thresholds (e.g. Core Web Vitals targets) as current guidance and verify against the latest official documentation. Examples are tailored to Nepal's market.