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How Did People React to the Early Warning During the M7.8 Kahramanmaras-Pazarcik (Türkiye) Earthquake?

Description: 

The Earthquake Network (EQN), the first operational smartphone-based public earthquake early warning system (PEEWS) and the sole system in operation during the M7.8 Kahramanmaras-Pazarcik (Turkey) earthquake, issued a cross-border alert within 12 seconds of the initiation of the rupture. The EQN provided a lead time of several tens of seconds for users exposed to intensities greater than VIII (and located at a distance greater than 40 km from the epicentre).

Nevertheless, the efficacy of a PEEW in mitigating individual risk is contingent upon the individual's decision to take protective actions. In order to understand users’ reactions, a questionnaire was made and disseminated via the EQN application in April 2023. A total of 11,988 responses were received, including 808 from individuals who had installed the app before the earthquake. Of these 808 individuals, 26% indicated that they had received the warning before experiencing the tremor. The majority of these individuals estimated the lead time to be less than 15 seconds. Nevertheless, 47% of these 808 respondents indicated that they had taken protective actions. Although the estimate is based on limited statistical data, it is significantly higher than the two other studies on the subject that the authors are aware of, which show a rate of 25% in Japan and South America. This may be indicative of a cultural divergence or a disparate perception of seismic risk. This type of study is vital for gaining insight into how the public perceives a PEEWS and how it is actually utilised. While the reduction in casualties remains difficult to estimate, the studies converge on the conclusion that there is a strong public demand for and appreciation of PEEWS, even if people do not make themselves safe and consequently even if the reduction in individual risk is limited. One of the benefits identified by users is the psychological advantage of the warning (rather than being taken by surprise). Further studies of this nature are recommended to gain a deeper understanding of the public's expectations and reactions, with the aim of optimising the use and benefits of PEEWS.

Session: Performance and Progress of Earthquake Early Warning Systems Around the World - II

Type: Oral

Date: 4/16/2025

Presentation Time: 10:30 AM (local time)

Presenting Author: Remy

Student Presenter: No

Invited Presentation: Yes

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