According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 7 structures have collapsed each day in India during 2010-2014. The structures mainly comprised of residential buildings and commercial buildings with 4919 and 1610 fatalities respectively. In addition, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of deaths caused due to collapse of structures, followed by Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Such alarming statistics only point towards a need for greater awareness while choosing a site for construction or a home to live. While it may not be possible to safeguard one’s home from the ill effects of a calamity, it is possible to control the extent of damage. Here are a few precautions to reduce the likelihood of you becoming a victim of a building collapse:

Check the Foundation

It all begins with the kind of foundation you build for your home. In case the property is located around a swampy ground, a stronger foundation is required as compared to solid grounds. But having said that, one cannot overlook the fact that even solid grounds require robust foundations.

Build Earthquake-Proof Constructions

A seismic zone map released on September 20, 2016 by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) states that 59% of households in India are vulnerable to severe and moderate earthquake.

Effective pre-planning carried out by the government and builders and general awareness in this regard has the potential to save thousands of lives. Thus, it will be a wise step to learn from other earthquake-prone countries such as Japan that is several steps ahead from the rest of the world in building earthquake-proof structures. Among the several methods, the most common is installing beams that transfer the sway, dissipation units, and incorporation of flexible material.