On March 11, 2011 an intensity 9.0 (8.9 on some reports) earthquake hit Japan’s Oshika Peninsula, the east coast of Tohoku. It was the strongest to hit Japan and one of the top five largest earthquakes in the world since seismological record-keeping began. It was followed by a tsunami with waves of up to 10 meters (33 ft) (reference: Wikipedia).
The disaster left thousands dead and inflicted extensive material damage to buildings and infrastructure that led to significant accidents at two major nuclear power stations. The Japan nuclear catastrophe is reminiscent of the Chernobyl disaster which occurred in April 26, 1986 in Ukraine, widely considered worst nuclear power plant accident in history.
The Philippines is positioned on the western edge of the Pacific Ocean, along the Ring of Fire. This means that the country is frequented by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. It is definitely everyone’s responsibility to be prepared for an earthquake. One way is by being familiar with the Triangle of Life theory.
The Triangle of Life theory is an earthquake safety tip promoted by Doug Copp, Rescue Chief and Disaster Manager of the American Rescue Team International (ARTI), apparently the world’s most experienced rescue team.
The theory presents the idea that when buildings collapse, the weight of the ceilings falling upon the objects or furniture inside tends to crush them, but the height of the object that remains acts as a kind of roof beam over the space or void next to it, which will tend to end up with a sloping roof over it. This space for survival Copp terms the triangle of life. The larger and stronger the object, the less it will compact; the less it compacts, the larger the void next to it will be. Such triangles are the most common shape to be found in a collapsed building. (reference: Wikipedia).
It is a highly controversial theory, and more information about the dispute can be found on Snopes.
Below is a forwarded e-mail with photos and illustrations on how the triangle of life is applied:
By simply looking at these photos, you can learn more than thousand words on how to protect yourself…
Here is an illustration of the “Triangle of Life”
Left: Triangle of Life Right: Wrong Area
If you are inside a vehicle, come out and sit or lie down next to it. If something falls on the vehicle, it will leave an empty space along the sides. See below:
The triangle of life:
The proper way of lying down:
NEVER
Below are some interesting videos on the triangle of life: