Public Awareness of Earthquake Threat and Expected Individual Response to Short-Term Earthquake Predictions and Warnings in the Tokai District: A Review of Survey Data

Abstract

Using survey data acquired in more than ten cities in the Tokai district, this paper examines the citizens’ preparedness and attitude toward the Tokai Earthquake and their expected response to the prediction-warning of the earthquake. It indicates that the public concern about the Tokai Earthquake has been decreasing in the past several years, while the level of knowledge about the warning statement has much improved and the level of individual preparedness toward the earthquake has been increased during this period. Also, most of the residents still put high credibility on scientific earthquake prediction. The most likely response to the warning statement is to seek additional information for defining ambiguous situations. It also suggests that a subsequent percentage of people would take countermeasures to protect themselves or their property after they heard the warning.