“Stay calm and do not panic; if you stay in a building, locate a safe room, drop down and take cover under desks or tables and hold on tight to it. You should stay away from windows and objects that may fall; if you’re outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees and power lines; if you’re in the car, slow down and drive to a clear place, stay in the car until the shaking stops,”
Following reports of movement within the earth in areas around Abuja, the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has urged residents who find themselves indoors during such occurrences to “hold on tight” to desks or tables.
According to a statement by FEMA, the agency’s watch room has been “inundated with distress calls” as a result of “earth shakings happening around Mpape and part of Maitama District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)”.
FEMA attributed the “earth shakings” to the possibility of “earth tremor”, describing it as “a sign of seismic movement within the earth”.
The statement continued: “This is caused by sudden breaks along a fault line, which results in a sudden release of energy that makes the ground to shake.
“It is caused by stress in underground rocks and may be due to rock blasting and mining activities in an area.”
FEMA also offered safety tips for residents.
“Stay calm and do not panic; if you stay in a building, locate a safe room, drop down and take cover under desks or tables and hold on tight to it. You should stay away from windows and objects that may fall; if you’re outdoors, find a clear spot away from buildings, trees and power lines; if you’re in the car, slow down and drive to a clear place, stay in the car until the shaking stops,” the statement read.
The agency also urged residents not to worry, stating that “there is no likelihood of any earthquake disaster in Nigeria, as we are not in earthquake zone”.
It also assured residents that the “abnormal situation will soon stop”.
