Study on Questioning Earthquake Awareness After the 2023 Kahramanmaraş Earthquake

Abstract

Earthquakes are unpreventable natural events; They cause significant loss of life and property by negatively affecting the social, economic and cultural activities of societies. [1,2] With today's technological possibilities and scientific studies, it is estimated that earthquakes will cause serious loss of life and property in the future, as in the past [3]. However, knowing and implementing what to do before, during and after an earthquake can minimize the damage. For this, the individual must know the earthquake disaster, the earthquake potential in the place where he lives, be knowledgeable about what needs to be done to protect against earthquakes, and be able to apply this knowledge [4].

In this study, a survey was prepared about the behavior of the participants before, during and after the earthquake and what effect social media had on earthquake awareness. In the evaluation, a total of 516 people from 43 provinces were reached and the majority of them were people who experienced an earthquake. As a result of the evaluation, the effects of the earthquake on people were examined and it was observed that people became a little more conscious after the last earthquake, but they still did not take action. As a result of the earthquakes, it was seen how important non-governmental organizations and first aid people are. In the survey conducted, it was seen that 7.4% of the participants were members of any non-governmental organization related to emergencies, and 35.7% received first aid training. In line with the survey results, it has been seen that more work needs to be done to make people more aware in our society and to reflect what they have learned into their behavior.