Enel Distribución Perú recommends preventing electrical hazards following earthquakes

• _{Earthquakes increase the possibility of short-circuits, explosions of electronic devices and even fires.}
• _{This Friday, October 13^th, a night-time earthquake drill will be carried out nationwide}

Lima, October 12^th, 2017. – In the framework of the upcoming night-time earthquake drill to be carried out nationwide, Enel Distribución Perú recommends citizens to adopt preventive measures at home in order to prevent electrical hazards following earthquakes that put people at serious risk, such as short-circuits, explosions of electronic devices and fires.

“First of all, people must check that electrical installations are in good condition, that there are no wires exposed at home and that not too many electrical devices are plugged into one outlet”, said Andrés Ciudad, Head of Third Party Safety at Enel Distribución Perú. “In addition, emergency lights must be located in strategic places at home, such as the alley through which we will evacuate or the backyard where we plan to go”, he added.

He also recommended not to block the access to the distribution board at home so as to easily shut off electricity before leaving the building during an earthquake, thereby preventing short-circuits. He highlighted the importance of having a flashlight and batteries inside the emergency backpack, given that they will be very useful in case of cut-offs. “We should also remember that we must never make informal connections to our house to restore power, as they expose us to great danger”, he said.

Likewise, the engineer suggested to get away from street lighting or electrical infrastructure which has been damaged by the earthquake, as well as to warn neighbours about it and, if possible, mark the area to prevent accidents especially in children, adolescents and aged people.

“Enel Distribución Perú has a contingency plan for this kind of eventualities; it is oriented to guarantee that power supply is safely distributed to households, businesses and public establishments. Nevertheless, the involvement and cooperation of people in preventive tasks are highly important to prevent any kind of hazard”, he concluded.