A stampede outside the M A Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday evening (June 4), where more than 50,000 people had gathered to catch a glimpse of the victorious IPL team, Royal Challengers Bangalore, left 11 people dead and injured more than 40 others.The event was to start at the Vidhan Soudha and end at the stadium, covering a distance of less than 2 km. It meant a large crowd turned up in a small stretch. There was also confusion surrounding the programme, with reports of the police denying permission for the parade.The tragedy was a product of mismanagement by the organisers — Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the state government had majorly underestimated the number of people who would turn up — as well as unruly crowd behaviour. While a single individual cannot prevent stampedes, here are six tips that will increase your chances of survival.1. In a crowd, be vigilantThe best way to protect yourself from a stampede is not getting caught in one. This requires keeping your eyes and ears wide open when in crowded spaces, looking for signs of an impending disaster, and reacting promptly when one unfolds.Some of the biggest stampede-related tragedies have happened at religious and sporting events. When entering such a space, you should be aware of where the nearest exits are, how the crowd is moving and in what direction, and what possible bottlenecks (gates, doorways, narrow passageways, etc.) are.The idea is to not only see what is happening, but to try to predict a stampede-like situation. Apart from exits, always keep an eye out for elevated positions (fences, ledges, gates, etc.) that may provide some temporary respite.2. Be prompt & get out earlyThe key to escaping a stampede is acting early. The longer you stay inside a stampede-like situation, the harder it will be to escape. This is because as the crowd thickens, the space for manoeuvring progressively diminishes, until there is nothing one can do to escape the crowd.Story continues below this adBeyond being vigilant, being prompt requires you to err on the side of caution. Get out of a crowded place if you’re feeling uncomfortable; do not wait for things to get worse. This advice is particularly important for those living in densely populated developing countries, who are often fairly accustomed to large crowds.Remember, many disasters are products of collective complacency. Promptly getting out of a crowd may also prevent a stampede from happening in the first place, by thinning out the crowd. The road to Vidhana Soudha, Bengaluru. (Express photo by Jithendra M)3. Stay on your feet, come what mayIf getting out is not an option, then the most important thing for you to do is stay on your feet. Almost all deadly stampedes are either triggered or made worse by people in the crowd falling down. Not only does this slow/stop the flow of the crowd, those not on their feet risk getting trampled over by the crowd.Also Read | ‘Ready to give Rs 50 lakh. Will they bring back my son?’: Day after Bengaluru stampede, victims’ kin slam governmentThe biggest problem is that when one person falls, it risks creating a “domino effect”: in a packed crowd, one person can take multiple others down with them. And once someone falls, the weight of the crowd makes it very difficult to get up. So try and stay on your feet: in a stampede, this is a matter of life and death.Story continues below this ad4. Go with the flow of the crowdOne thing that will help keep your balance is going with the flow of the crowd. Stampedes essentially occur due to the “disruption of the orderly movement of crowds”. As an individual caught in such a situation, your best bet is not to “disrupt” things further.Not only will this be futile — the weight of the crowd will not allow you to move against its flow anyway — it will tire you out, and potentially lead you to losing your balance, which opens up all kinds of other risks.One way to look at this is to view the crowd like a surfer views a wave. Just like a surfer rides the wave, you have to “ride” the crowd. This is likely to protect you from calamity, especially if there are no further barriers/blockages in your way.5. Keep breathing, protect your chestData show that most stampede deaths are caused by traumatic asphyxia — a partial or complete cessation of respiration due to external compression of the thorax and/or upper abdomen. Put simply, the weight of the crowd suffocates people to death during a stampede.Story continues below this adThis makes it imperative to protect your chest, and control your breathing. Do not scream or shout, or try to fight the flow of the crowd — you will be wasting precious breath and energy. Moreover, as the pressure from the crowd increases, try to put your arms in front of your chest to create some space for your lungs to continue breathing. Remember, a fractured hand is very much an acceptable cost to protect your lungs.If you have fallen down and cannot get up, your best way is to lie on your stomach with your hands underneath your chest, which may allow you to continue breathing.6. Do not panic, cooperate with othersAlmost all stampedes are either triggered or made worse by panic, and more specifically, non-cooperative behaviour. Individuals, when faced with a threat, often act selfishly to preserve themselves rather than look at the needs of the larger group.While this may seem rewarding, data show that on the whole, it is likely not. Cooperation and unity among crowds has shown to be far more effective in preventing stampedes, or ensuring they do not get deadly, than individualistic actions.Story continues below this adIt is possible that the Bengaluru stampede on Wednesday could have been even worse if a group of people had not taken it upon themselves to form a human chain and help those who had fallen down to get up.