Earthquake Risk Awareness in Bucharest, Romania: Public Survey

Abstract

During a period of eight months, an extensive survey was conducted on the population of Bucharest as part of the CoBPEE research project, financially supported by the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation. The focus of the survey was to evaluate the level of awareness and preparedness of the population for a hypothetical earthquake generated by the Vrancea intermediate-depth source, the level of expected damage of residential buildings as well the level of implication of the population in the aftermath of the seismic event. In total, 1000 responses were collected. This paper describes the main findings of the survey. Results show that although more than 60% of the respondents are aware of the possibility of occurrence of a major earthquake in Romania, a very limited number is prepared to deal with such a situation. Also, most respondents would feel the safest in a building built in the period 1978–1992 rather than in a building built in the past ten years, showing a lack of confidence in the construction industry. As far as post-earthquake attitude is concerned, the vast majority of residents agree to provide humanitarian assistance in various ways, financial aid being the last preference.