Earthquake Risk Perception Research Articles

The relationship between earthquake risk perceptions, religious orientation, spiritual well-being in individuals with and without earthquake experience: a cross-sectional study

The physical and psychological effects of earthquakes on individuals with their experience dimension are important. This study aimed to examine the relationship between earthquake risk perception, religious orientation, and spiritual well-being among individuals with and without earthquake experience. The data collection instruments included a socio-demographic information questionnaire, earthquake risk perception scale, religious orientation scale, and three-factor spiritual well-being scale. Statistical evaluations were performed using independent samples t test, one-way ANOVA test, Mann–Whitney U test, Kruskal–Wallis test (Levene), Pearson correlation, and multiple linear regression analyses. About 59.9% of the participants had experienced an earthquake. Individuals with earthquake experience scored 33.04 ± 7.80 on the earthquake risk perception scale, 100.65 ± 20.80 on the religious orientation scale, and 119.66 ± 18.87 on the three-factor spiritual well-being scale. Those without earthquake experience scored 31.57 ± 7.74, 96.70 ± 18.46, and 114.09 ± 18.04 on the respective scales. The average scores on the earthquake risk perception scale were found to be statistically significant with respect to gender, while the average scores on the religious orientation scale and the three-factor spiritual well-being scale were found to be statistically significant with respect to both gender and substance use. The regression analysis revealed that religious orientation and three-factor spiritual well-being significantly predicted 13.5% of the variance in earthquake risk perception. Studies to increase individuals’ risk perception are important in minimizing the destructive effects of earthquakes in countries in the earthquake zone.

Earthquake attribution, risk perception, and self-efficacy: Tibetan Buddhism believers’ preparedness motivation

ABSTRACT Based on a survey conducted in Yushu area of China, this study reveals that among Tibetan Buddhism believers, earthquake attribution, risk perception, and self-efficacy (i.e. individuals’ belief in their own ability to accomplish a specific task) operate to collectively influence their motivation to prepare for earthquakes. Specifically, a stronger inclination to perceive earthquakes as natural phenomena, higher levels of risk perception in both cognitive and affective dimensions, and increased self-efficacy contribute to a greater intention for earthquake preparedness. Moreover, results of this study indicate that among these factors, self-efficacy plays the most significant role, followed by the affective dimension of risk perception, natural attribution of earthquakes, and cognitive dimension of risk perception. Interestingly, the study found no significant effects of supernatural attribution of earthquakes on respondents’ preparedness intention. These findings enhance our understanding of the formation mechanism behind individuals’ disaster awareness and behaviour, particularly among those with Buddhism beliefs.

Socio-demographic determinants of earthquake risk perception: the case of the Corinthiakos Gulf, in Greece

AbstractRisk perception has been widely recognized as an essential factor in shaping attitudes and behaviors of individuals and communities proactively, during and after the experience of extreme catastrophic events. Its importance derives out mostly due to its intrinsic relationship with socioeconomic parameters and capacity building of communities affected by such events. The aim of this paper was to elaborate on the demographic and socioeconomic determinants of earthquake risk perception of populations living in an extremely earthquake-prone environment. For this purpose, a population sample of municipalities in the Corinthiakos Gulf in Central West Greece was examined. The sample (230 men and 276 women) was randomly selected from three coastal municipalities of the Gulf: Aigialeia, Nafpaktia and Corinthos. Multi-adjusted linear regression analysis was performed to reveal the determinants of the participants’ perceptions regarding earthquake risk. Findings revealed that mean earthquake risk perception score was moderate in both men and women and notably lower for the participants living in the municipality of Nafpaktia, as compared to the participants of the other two study areas. Earthquake risk perception varied significantly according to age, sex, income and building construction period (of assets resided or used by the participants). Younger strata, especially young men, and households of lower-income status tend to correlate to lower earthquake risk perception. Moreover, individuals living in newly constructed buildings presented lower earthquake risk perception levels. Also, increased individuals’ earthquake safety information provided by state agencies and local civil protection authorities was associated with increased risk perception. Issues like education, household structure, building earthquake insurance, savings and trust in civil protection authorities were not associated with risk perception. From a policy design point of view, such findings provide noteworthy insights for local communities and civil protection authorities allowing to identify vulnerable population groups and to provide noteworthy insights to design targeted measures and policies in the making of a safe and resilient environment.

A disaster scene simulation system in 3D for oil transmission stations: Design and implementation

The disaster scene in three-dimensional (3D) plays a crucial role in disaster emergency management and risk communication of oil transmission stations. However, existing research for the disaster scene mainly focuses on reproducing the disaster environment and rarely predicts the damage state of the disaster-affected object. This paper proposes an object-oriented modeling method that utilizes a multilevel decomposition pattern for disaster scenes. This method combines earthquake vulnerability assessment with 3D visualization technology to predict and characterize the damage state of critical infrastructure in oil transmission stations. To enhance earthquake risk perception, a simulation system is designed and developed, which allows for the construction of virtual scenes and quick simulation of disaster scenes in 3D. The case application shows that the system improves the 3D modeling efficiency of disaster scenes and enhances public awareness of earthquake risks. The simulation system can provide technical support for seismic mitigation planning and emergency management decision-making at oil transmission stations and has good application prospects.

Student Attitude to Earthquake Disaster Risk: Role of Motivation and Perception of Risk

Youth awareness and attitudes toward earthquake disasters can assist disaster risk reduction and management efforts to reduce death and economic loss. Students can become a driving force in reducing earthquake risk if they have the right attitude in dealing with earthquake disaster risk. This research aims to analyze students’ attitudes to earthquake risk and the role of motivation and perception of risk towards students’ attitudes to earthquake risk. Students have the potential to become a driving force in reducing earthquake risk if they have the right attitude in dealing with earthquake disaster risk. Students can be a driving force in reducing earthquake risk if they have the right attitude in dealing with earthquake disaster risk. This research uses quantitative research methods. The research uses an online survey to collect data from 107 students in Padang City and Surakarta City. Researchers use random sampling to distribute the survey. The variables examined in this study are attitudes toward earthquake risk, motivation, and perceptions of earthquake risk. This study used a questionnaire consisting of 67 questions. Data were analyzed using multiple regression analysis with SPSS 26.00. This study found that students have a high attitude toward earthquake risk. The attitude variable is influenced by motivation and perception of earthquake risk by 62.9%, while other variables outside the model studied influence by 37.1%. The motivation and perception of earthquake risk have a significant effect on the attitude variable. Lastly, the perception and motivational variables have a significant effect on the attitude variable partially.

Recognizing societal influences in earthquake geohazard risk perception with explainable AI while mitigating risks through improved seismic interpretation

As public awareness of climate-change-related weather events and temperature anomalies increases in the United States, citizens’ attitudes toward climate change should be studied, including the effects of climate mitigation strategies and their associated risks such as induced seismicity. Using social survey data and earthquake records, an explainable artificial intelligence method (SHAP) is employed to investigate factors that are important in explaining individual perceptions and assessments of future induced seismicity. Focusing on Oklahoma, where the majority (greater than 75%) of earthquakes are induced, SHAP reveals that personally experiencing earthquakes is a significant factor in the respondents’ past and future perception of earthquake frequency. Realizing that induced seismicity plays a strong role in individual perceptions of earthquake frequency, it is increasingly important to mitigate this geohazard, which is expected to increase with climate mitigation strategies, whether they are carbon capture and sequestration or geothermal in nature. To this end, seismic attribute methods to improve subsurface characterization, particularly for fluid migration pathway identification, are examined using data from a carbon sequestration project in northwest Montana in the Kevin Dome area. While broadband and multispectral coherence do not improve the identification of faults and fractures, in this case, aberrancy (the third derivative of structure) successfully highlights lineations because it is more susceptible to detecting flexures in seismic data. Based on this result, we strongly encourage interpreters to include aberrancy in their reservoir analysis to identify and mitigate fluid migration that may result in induced seismicity.

Deprem Yaşayan Bireylerin Risk Algısı, Korku ve Hazırbulunuşluklarının İncelenmesi

An earthquake, which can directly affect individual and social life, is a natural event that is difficult to predict. However, previous earthquake experiences can trigger earthquake risk perception and fear. Reasonable risk perception and fear generally affect earthquake preparedness behaviour positively. This study aims to reveal the earthquake risk perception, fear, and actual and perceived preparedness levels of the people in a region in Turkey where a destructive earthquake occurred. Data were collected from 388 respondents who experienced the Elazig earthquake in 2020 through a structured questionnaire. The findings indicate that earthquake risk perception and fear are high, but actual and perceived preparedness levels are low. The results showed that gender, earthquake education, the way the earthquake is explained differ significantly with the risk perception, fear, actual and perceived preparedness levels. In addition, it has been determined that risk perception, fear, actual and perceived preparedness levels are related to each other at certain levels. The research is considered necessary because it deals with many variables and offers a holistic view of the research field.

Determining Economic Losses and Factors Influencing Flood, Drought And Earthquake Risk Perception in Disasters-Prone Areas of Punjab, Pakistan

Climate-based natural disaster intensity and destruction severity have risen multifold particularly in developing countries owing to an inadequate understanding of disaster risk perception. In using the household data of 398 respondents and the ordered probit model this study focused to investigate the factors influencing flood, drought, and earthquake risk perception in Punjab, Pakistan. In selected study areas, the majority of respondent’s likelihood perceived of happening disasters which caused financial losses and severely influenced their livelihood. Disasters-prone-area inhabitants’ inadequate understanding of mitigation measures has increased their vulnerability as they have become ineffective to overcome such natural disasters' severe impacts. Empirical estimates of the study indicated as sources of income generating, education level, gender, status, and age of household significantly affect the respondent's risk perception about flood, drought, and earthquake. Females in contrast to male respondents have a limited understanding of mitigation measures and are not as much of capable of controlling disasters as they have become more vulnerable related to disaster effects. In developing the disaster-prone communities' socioeconomic status urgent-based measures are required such as the understanding of the disaster gender-based gap needs to be reduced through better household appreciative vigilance and alleviation of floods, drought, and earthquake disasters.

Residents' information seeking behavior and protective action for earthquake hazards in The Portland Oregon Metropolitan Area.

Though significant research exists on earthquake hazard adjustment adoption more generally, research focused on how information seeking influences planned or actual preparedness behavior is rare, limiting our understanding of how information seeking translates into preparedness. To address this gap, our study tests a proposed model of household seismic hazard adjustment using questionnaire responses of roughly 400 households living in the Portland, OR metropolitan region. The proposed model includes components of the Protective Action Decision Model (PADM) with specific emphasis on past information seeking behavior, preparedness behavior, intentions to seek information, and intentions to take protective action. Other components include risk perception, earthquake experience, affective response, seismic risk zone residency, and demographics. Consistent with previous research, this study finds information seeking behavior to be the strongest influence on preparedness with other important influences being risk perception, affective response, and intentions to prepare. We find weak ties between risk zone residency and earthquake risk perception, though this may be because our sample has little experience with earthquakes and the majority live in the same earthquake risk zones. Importantly, longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether information seeking and intentions to prepare eventually result in household protective action.

Investigating the role of risk perception in place-based responses: case studies of the 2003 Bam and 2017 Ezgeleh-Sarpol Zahab earthquakes

Purpose The purpose of this study is to clarify changes in people-place interrelationship and hidden layers of survivors psychological challenges in the reconstructed housing environment, the 2003 Bam and 2017 Ezgeleh-Sarpol Zahab earthquakes occurred in Iran, because perception of earthquake risk in residential dwellings and traumatic experiences during and after its occurrence are among stressful events making communities face with various spectrum of emotional and cognitive consequences. Such events shape memory “traumascapes” and cause changes in mental schemas and as a result, altering decisions and behavioral responses in long-term familiar environments. Because, in the disaster-affected communities, psychological recovery will be greatly influenced by residential experiences. Design/methodology/approach The current research was performed with a qualitative and multicase study design, and data were collected using deep and semistructured private interviews and discussions in focus groups with participation of 33 people by narrative technique. Findings According to findings, people are facing enduring cognitive disruptions regarding home concept and its location as a safe and secure paradigm. Findings showed that there are a considerable amount of behavioral responses and emotional consequences in the form of protective behaviors, severe sensitivity to environmental stimuli, fears, phobias in residential dwellings and disturbances in place attachments. Originality/value It is noteworthy that despite all time and place differences, the two studied communities had significant similarities in earthquake traumatic experiences and perceptions and also resulting conscious and subconscious responses.

The Relationship Between Disaster Risk Perception and Multiple Deprivation: A Study on Rangpur City, Bangladesh, Using Geospatial and Statistical Approaches

Rapid urbanization and multiple deprivation are making cities more prone to numerous disasters. This study examines the relationships between disaster risk perception and multiple deprivation in the Rangpur city Corporation area in Bangladesh. Enhanced understanding of this relationship would bring valuable insights for planning and policies, especially pertinent for vulnerable communities in the Global South. Rangpur city is located in a deprived zone of Bangladesh that is highly prone to earthquake and fire hazards, and the population’s low level of risk perception might exasperate their vulnerability to earthquakes and fire. This study’s research methods include an index of multiple deprivation, earthquake and fire risk perception index, geographic information system (GIS)-based mapping, statistical analysis and questionnaire surveys. The statistical methods are correlation analysis, factor analysis, Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin test and cross-table analysis. The results of the study show that there is no statistically significant relationship between disaster risk perception and multiple deprivation; however, cross-table analysis revealed a relationship between risk perception and deprivation. The study identified the hot spots of hazard risks and deprivation in Rangpur city. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first effort to investigate the relationship between disaster risk perception and multiple deprivation.

Assessing factors affecting drought, earthquake, and flood risk perception: empirical evidence from Bangladesh

Understanding household disaster risk perception is crucial to formulate and apply disaster risk reduction strategies. Using survey data from 300 households from three highly disaster-prone areas of the lower Teesta River basin in Bangladesh, this study explores households’ risk perception of drought, earthquake, and flood at the local level. The ordered probit regression model was applied to identify the factors influencing household disaster risk perception. Most of the respondents perceived the likelihood of occurring drought, earthquake, and flood hazards on a large scale in the selected areas which cause negative impacts on their quality of life and financial losses. They have lack knowledge on mitigation actions which makes them unable to control the devastating impacts of disasters. Econometric results show that households’ age, gender, education, and income-generating sources had significantly influenced the respondent’s drought, earthquake, and flood risk perception. Female participants have less knowledge on mitigations actions and are less capable of controlling the hazards than their counterparts making them more vulnerable to the impacts of hazards. Urgent action is required to improve their socio-economic conditions, and to reduce the knowledge gap between males and females as well as to improve the household’s understanding of mitigation and preparedness for disaster risk.

Earthquake Risk Perception in Belgrade: Implications for Disaster Risk Management

Earthquake Risk Perception in Belgrade: Implications for Disaster Risk Management

Perception of earthquake risks and disaster prevention awareness: A comparison of resident surveys in Sendai, Japan and Seattle, WA, USA

Both Sendai City in Japan and Seattle-King County (hereafter referred to as “Seattle”) in Washington State in the United States are in seismically active areas with high earthquake risks. An Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system has been publicly available in Japan since 2007. The ShakeAlert system on the U.S. West Coast is still being developed and was at the time of this study being rolled out to provide earthquake early warning to institutional and public users. Given the high costs, concomitant need for public funding, and protective behavior aims of EEW systems, a better understanding of how society and individuals perceive the system and how they react to alerts is crucial to maximize the benefits of EEW. In this study, we compared how Sendai and Seattle residents perceived earthquake risk and EEW effectiveness, as well as their willingness to pay (WTP) for an improved (Sendai) or newly adopted (Seattle) EEW system. Similarities in the risks of megaquakes and the differences in recent events and earthquake early warning implementation enabled us to test the extent to which associations between earthquake risk perceptions, risk preparedness, and support for government policies to reduce earthquake risks can be generalized across these contrasting conditions. We found that risk perceptions and perceived effectiveness of EEW in personal protection were significant determinants of WTP for an (improved) EEW system in both regions. However, the association of “fear” with earthquakes was a significant predictor of WTP only in the Seattle survey. One possible explanation for this is that emotional reactions to earthquakes were more varied in the Seattle sample than Sendai, likely due to the much milder earthquakes that have occurred in the Pacific Northwest of the US in recent decades than in Japan. In contrast, most Sendai respondents reported that they felt danger and fear in their recent earthquake experiences.

Earthquake and Fire Hazard Risk Perception: A Study on the Emerging Rangpur City of Bangladesh

Rangpur city is one of the emerging cities in Bangladesh. In 2012, this city upgraded from municipality to city corporation. On the one hand, the city population started to increase; on the other hand, vulnerability to earthquake and fire hazards are increased due to rapid urbanization. Therefore, we investigate the risk perception of earthquake and fire hazards in Rangpur. The purpose of this study is fourfold: (i) to assess the risk perception of earthquake hazards and fire hazards at the household level; (ii) to investigate the influence of demographic and socio-economic factors on the risk perception of each hazard; (iii) to investigate the preparedness for earthquake and fire hazards; and (iv) to propose planning guidelines and policy interventions for the disaster resilience of the Rangpur city focusing on earthquake and fire hazards. We conducted a questionnaire survey with 558 participants and 9 semi-structured interviews in fifteen electoral wards in Rangpur city. Afterward, we analyzed the data in SPSS and ArcMap platforms. The study results show that socio-demographic indicators such as gender, household ownership type, and residential floor are likely to influence citizens’ risk perception. We also find that the spatial distribution of risk perception of both hazards is diversified at the electoral ward level. At the same time, we observe that the level of preparedness for both hazards is not satisfactory. Based on the study findings, we recommend a few planning guidelines and policy interventions for disaster resilience in Rangpur city.

Trust and confidence in authorities, responsibility attribution, and natural hazards risk perception

AbstractRisk perception varies across contexts like different risk agents and cultures. The roles of trust, confidence in authorities, and responsibility attribution in natural hazards risk perception are understudied. In this paper, the correlations between trust in authorities, confidence in authorities, responsibility attribution, and natural hazards (typhoon and earthquake) risk perception are explored using an updated representative data set from Taiwan (the 2013 and 2019 Taiwan Social Change Survey). The perceived probability, perceived controllability, and degree of worriment were used as the three dimensions of risk perception in the 2013 survey, while only the worrisome dimension was included in the 2019 survey. The results of Ordered Logit Models demonstrate that trust in authorities and confidence in authorities’ disaster response are only negatively associated with the perceived consequence of typhoons, not the probability or worrisome dimensions. The responsibility attribution and risk perception's correlations are only significant for the perceived probability of an earthquake. On the contrary, variables like disaster experience, family income, and educational attainment have more consistent effects, either in 2013 or 2019. This paper highlights the importance of the risk perception measurements and contexts of hazards in investigating the roles of trust, confidence, and responsibility attribution in natural hazards scenarios.

Adaptation of hurricane risk perception scale to earthquake risk perception and determining the factors affecting women's earthquake risk perception

Adaptation of hurricane risk perception scale to earthquake risk perception and determining the factors affecting women's earthquake risk perception

Emotional distress related to hazards and earthquake risk perception

Emotional distress related to hazards and earthquake risk perception

Impacts of earthquake knowledge and risk perception on earthquake preparedness of rural residents

Earthquake preparedness can reduce casualties and economic losses caused by earthquakes effectively. Existing literature confirms that people’s knowledge and perception of earthquakes can affect their actions concerning earthquake preparedness greatly. However, studies have mostly focused on developed countries. Meanwhile, China, particularly its rural regions, has been neglected. In addressing this deficiency, this study examines 5 counties and 10 villages that were seriously affected by the 2008 Wenchuan (Sichuan) earthquake. Using an on-site survey of residents, earthquake perceptions and their impact on disaster preparedness behavior were examined empirically. Exploratory factor analysis and random-effect logistic regression analysis were used. The results reveal that two factors considerably influence disaster preparedness behavior. First, residents with autonomous earthquake information access tend to be more prepared. Second, residents who are more sensitive about earthquakes (high perceived risk of occurrence) tend to be more prepared for earthquakes. Evidently, knowledge and awareness of earthquakes have a positive impact on the disaster preparedness of residents living in rural earthquake-prone regions. Consequently, government agencies should enhance the earthquake education of local residents as part of the national effort to mitigate the adverse effects of future earthquakes.

Hazard Perception and Disaster Information of Turkish Secondary School Students*

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between the levels of hazard awareness, risk perceptions, the knowledge of response-related protective behavior, and disaster knowledge within the framework of secondary school curriculum in Turkey. A questionnaire examining various measures including hazard awareness, risk perceptions, and general disaster knowledge test was answered by 8th-grade students of schools in Erbaa, Niksar, and Taşova located in North Anatolian Fault Zone (NAFZ) in Turkey. The data from a total of 654 surveys were analyzed utilizing chi-squared, t-test, and ANOVA.The research findings proved that students' disaster awareness and risk perceptions about the environment in which they live are quite realistic. The high levels of earthquake risk perception and fear were related to the fact that they live in settlements located in NAFZ with the highest level of earthquake risk in Turkey. However, research findings proved that most of the students had a fairly low level of knowledge of response-related protective behaviors, and significant differences were found in the context of schools and settlements.
 Key words: 8th-grade students, risk assessment, hazard education, disaster education, Turkey