I've been unfortunate enough to have experienced some earthquakes.
I remember the San Francisco earthquake in 1989. I had just entered a shop called 'Ross dress for less' in Market Street.
The shaking was unbelievably strong and we were all scared to death.
This happened late in the afternoon and it comes completely out of the blue.

I was also in Kobe during the earthquake of 1995 that destroyed huge areas of the city.
I was very lucky to be in a new hotel. Of course I couldn't do anything being on a high level floor other than thinking it was like being on a ferry and I need to put some clothes on or i'll be found only in my underwear.
When it stopped all around me was destroyed.

There's nothing you can do. It happens and that's it.
It's very very frightening, out of your control and you just wait for it to stop