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If the ground starts shaking: drop, cover and hold on. Indoors, get under a sturdy table, protect your head and neck, and stay until the shaking stops. That is the City of San Francisco’s own advice, and it is the same one-line answer on its visitor page.
The city also says earthquakes can happen without warning and that cell service will likely be unavailable afterward, so decide where your group meets before you need to.
Read on sf.gov (Department of Emergency Management) on 3 November 2026.
During The Shaking
| Where you are | What to do |
|---|---|
| Indoors | Drop to the ground, take cover under a sturdy table or other furniture, and hold on until the shaking stops. Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as light fixtures. Do not run outside during shaking. |
| Indoors, with no sturdy furniture | Protect your head and neck with your arms and take cover in an interior corner. |
| Outdoors | Move away from buildings, streetlights and utility wires. |
| In a vehicle | Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay inside. If you can, avoid stopping under buildings, trees, overpasses or utility wires. |
After It Stops
- Expect aftershocks. The city says they can be strong enough to cause more damage, so be ready to drop, cover and hold again.
- Check your surroundings. Damage to a building can mean leaking gas and water lines or downed power lines. If you smell gas, hear hissing or see a broken gas line, the city says to turn off the gas main. Do that only if you know where it is.
- If your building looks unsafe (major structural damage, risk of collapse, gas), leave carefully for a nearby open space and do not go back in.
- If you leave where you are staying, leave a note telling friends and family where you went.
- For updates, the city names three radio stations: KCBS 740 AM / 106.9 FM, KQED 88.5 FM and KALW 91.7 FM. Official updates go to sf.gov/ReadySF.
Near The Water: Tsunami Signs
San Francisco’s tsunami page lists three natural warning signs: strong shaking for 20 seconds or more that makes it hard to stand or walk, a sudden loud roar from the ocean, or the sea pulling far back from shore. If you notice any of them, the city says do not wait for an alert. Move inland and to higher ground right away. Official alerts come as Wireless Emergency Alerts (no sign-up) and as AlertSF texts.
The city publishes a Tsunami Hazard Zone Map, shaded in purple, showing areas that may need to be evacuated. You can check your hotel against it before you go.
Set Up Before You Travel
- AlertSF. Text the ZIP codes you will be in to 888-777, or sign up at AlertSF.org. The city says messages come in several languages.
- WhatsApp. The city runs an official one-way WhatsApp channel for emergency alerts and says it is recommended for international visitors.
- Your hotel. The city suggests saving your hotel’s address in your phone, memorizing the nearest intersection and sharing your location with the people you travel with.
- Calls. From a roaming international SIM, make a voice call to 911. The city says text-to-911 is not available on those. Dispatchers can bring an interpreter onto the call.
The city also publishes an Earthquake Safety Guide in English, Spanish, Traditional Chinese and Filipino, and points to earthquakecountry.org for more.
What We Could Not Confirm
- How often earthquakes are felt in the city. We read no statistic, so we give none.
- What your specific hotel or building has done to prepare. Ask the front desk.
- Where a given beach, pier or hotel sits on the tsunami map. Use the city’s map.
- Anything on health or first aid. We cover none of it.
More Practical Pages
History: the 1906 earthquake and fire. The city’s other safety numbers are on Safety and Practical Tips.
Questions People Ask
Should I run outside?
No. The city says to stay inside until the shaking stops and not to exit a building during shaking.
Will my phone work?
The city says to assume cell service will likely be unavailable, which is why it asks you to make a plan and a meeting spot.
Do I need to sign up for alerts?
Not for tsunami Wireless Emergency Alerts, which need no sign-up. AlertSF is a separate text service you join.
Sources
- City of San Francisco, Earthquakes: https://www.sf.gov/earthquake (read 3 November 2026)
- City of San Francisco, ReadySF: https://www.sf.gov/readysf (read 3 November 2026)
- City of San Francisco, Visitor safety information: https://www.sf.gov/visitor-safety-information-for-san-francisco (read 3 November 2026)
- City of San Francisco, Tsunamis: https://www.sf.gov/tsunamis (read 3 November 2026)