Important: This page is general information, not medical advice. It does not recommend or prescribe any treatment. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.
About Earthquakes
An earthquake happens when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another. Earthquakes strike suddenly, violently, and without warning at any time of the day or night. If an earthquake occurs in a populated area, it may cause property damage, injuries, and even deaths. If you live in a coastal area, there is the possibility of a tsunami. Damage from earthquakes can also lead to floods or fires.
Although there are no guarantees of safety during an earthquake, you can take actions to protect yourself. You should have a disaster plan. Being prepared can help reduce fear, anxiety, and losses. If you do experience a disaster, it is normal to feel stressed. You may need help in finding ways to cope.
Federal Emergency Management Agency
It sits within Disasters.
When to speak to someone. Reading about a topic cannot tell you whether it applies to you. Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if symptoms are severe, sudden, getting worse, or simply not going away — and seek emergency care immediately for chest pain, breathing difficulty, sudden weakness or confusion, or a serious allergic reaction.
Research on Earthquakes
79 studies areregistered for this condition on ClinicalTrials.gov, the U.S. National Library of Medicine's public registry. A selection is below — the links go straight to the registry entry, not to a summary of ours.
What a registered study does and does not mean. Registration means a study exists and has been declared publicly. It says nothing about whether the treatment being tested works, is safe, or is available to you. Many studies find no benefit — that is what research is for. Never seek out an experimental treatment on the strength of a registry entry alone.
Research currently under way
- Home Visit Simulation-based Earthquake Preparedness Training for Nursing StudentsDuzce University
- Effects of the Integrated Grief Therapy on Psychological Resilience, Post-Traumatic Growth, Traumatic Stress, and Grief Processes in Earthquake SurvivorsSakarya University
- Mind-Body Intervention in Earthquake Survivors: 6 mo RCTHacettepe University
- Creative Drama on Gender Role Stress, Attitudes Toward Violence Against Women, and AggressionAtaturk University
- Exercise Intervention in Children Living in a Container CityInonu University
- Effects of EMDR on Psychological Symptoms and EEG Findings in Trauma-Exposed IndividualsIstanbul Galata University
Research already completed
- Development of Post-Disaster Care Protocol for Pregnant Women and Evaluation of Its EffectivenessSakarya University
- EMDR Flash Group Protocol for Earthquake SurvivorsIstanbul Galata University
- The Effect of Basic Disaster Awareness Education on Disaster Literacy and AnxietyLevels in AdolescentsErzincan Binali Yildirim Universitesi
- The Effect of Education Provided to Adolescents Living in a Container Settlement on Their Genital Hygiene Behaviours and Menstrual ExperiencesKahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University
- Group Laughie Intervention for Well-Being in Earthquake Survivors: A Pilot StudyHacettepe University
- Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training in Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in DisastersBitlis Eren University
Study data from ClinicalTrials.gov, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Retrieved 2026-07-30. Registry entries are supplied by study sponsors and investigators; ClinicalTrials.gov does not verify their scientific validity. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH.
Where to read more
Rather than paraphrase, we point you to the primary sources. Every link below is to a government health agency, a national institute or a recognised medical body — grouped by what you are trying to find out.
Learn More
- DisasterAssistance.govDepartment of Homeland Security
- Earthquake Hazards ProgramU.S. Geological Survey
- Earthquakes: Before, During, and AfterCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- Federal Emergency Management AgencyFederal Emergency Management Agency
- Landslides and Mudslides and Your SafetyCenters for Disease Control and Prevention
- What Is it about an Earthquake that Causes a Tsunami?U.S. Geological Survey
Medical subject headings
Clinicians and researchers index this subject under Earthquakes. These are the terms to use when searching medical literature.
This page is built from the MedlinePlus health topic record for Earthquakes, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM), National Institutes of Health. Information is from MedlinePlus.gov. PocketsInfo is not affiliated with, and is not endorsed by, the NLM or the NIH. Retrieved 30 July 2026.