Majority of population not prepared for earthquake: Survey

ISTANBUL

Though 85 percent of the respondents believe that a major quake might occur in their cities, 76 percent do not take any precautions, according to a survey conducted after the deadly earthquake in the southern province of Kahramanmaraş.

Research organization IPSOS conducted an earthquake survey between Feb. 14 and 16 with 1,000 people above 18 years of age representing the population, excluding the 11 provinces affected by Feb. 6’s quakes.

Some 85 percent of the respondents stated that it is possible to experience such a major disaster in their own cities in the near future.

While 43 percent of the participants said that a major quake would occur “very likely,” 42 percent of respondents stated they would “probably” experience a devastating earthquake.

On the other hand, 15 percent of the respondents do not think they will experience such a disaster in their cities.

While the majority of those who think about the “possibility of disaster” in their provinces reveal the level of anxiety in the society, the measures taken on this issue were not in line with this concern.

Some 76 percent of the participants in the study answered “No” to the question: “Have you done any research on the earthquake resistance of the house you live in?”

Only 37 percent of the participants said that the housing they lived in was earthquake resistant.

Some 31 percent of the respondents said they had an earthquake survival kit ready, while 69 percent stated they had not.

The rate of those seeking to prepare an emergency go bag was 73 percent.