Day of school earthquake safety drills for tibetan communities in India on April 4, 2009

India is located in one of the most earthquake-prone regions in the world. On April 4, 1905, the Kangra earthquake struck in Dharamsala. Kangra is the worst killer earthquake yet to occur on Indian soil. This 7.8 Magnitude quake rocked the Kangra region, claiming 19,727 lives and devastating Dharamsala, Kangra and neighboring towns and villages. It destroyed approximately 100,000 buildings.

According to the Seismic Hazard Zoning Map of India, the districts of Chamba, Kullu, Kangra, Una, Hamirpur, Mandi, and Bilaspur lie in Zone V (Maximum risk zone), while the rest of the districts in Himachal Pradesh are located in Zone IV (High risk zone). Almost 60 percent of the Tibetan schools in Himachal Pradesh are located in the Zone V; the rest are located in the Zone IV. Delhi itself is located in Zone IV. Scientists believe that the next major earthquake to strike in the Himalayan region could affect the whole of North India.

In many previous earthquakes, a major percentage of victims were children. This was due chiefly to a lack of awareness of earthquake risk and to unprepared schools. School administrators, staff and children must be aware of what is to be done before, during and after a natural disaster.

To mark the 104th anniversary of the Kangra earthquake, all Tibetan Schools in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi will take part in the Tibetan Schools Shake-Out Drill. On April 4, 2008 at 10 a.m., all students and staff of the eighteen Tibetan Schools in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi will participate in the earthquake preparedness drill. They will:

- DROP to the ground,
- Take COVER beneath a sturdy desk or table, and
- HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.

After this drill, they will safely evacuate from the school building.

The purpose of the Tibetan Schools Shake-Out Drill is to help all Tibetan Schools in Himachal Pradesh and Delhi to prepare for earthquakes and to prevent natural disasters from becoming catastrophes in terms of death and suffering. This drill is a collaborative effort of GeoHazards International, GeoHazards Society, and the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (LTWA), along with Tibetan schools under Central Tibetan School Administration, Sambhota Tibetan School Administration and Tibetan Children's Village.

While the Shake-Out Scenario is a hypothetical one, it is important to be prepared. No task is more important than creating a safe learning environment for a nation's children. School Safety is one of the most important ways to promote a culture of disaster preparedness. We need to learn lessons from past earthquakes and to make our schools a safe place for children by practicing preparedness drills. What we do now, before the next earthquake, will determine how our lives will be after that earthquake strikes. It is better to be prepared early than a minute too late.

Participants in the Tibetan Schools Shake-Out Drill

GeoHazards International (GHI)
GeoHazards Society (GHS)
Library of Tibetan Works and Archives (LTWA)
Schools under Sambhota Tibetan School Administration (STSA)
Schools under Tibetan Children's Village (TCV)
Schools under Central Tibetan School Administration (CTSA