Seismic risk communication in Europe: trends and effectiveness evaluation

Seismic risk communication (SRC) is a crucial element of disaster risk management, vital for enhancing awareness and fostering preparedness. In this study, we build on insights from a scoping review of SRC in Europe from 2000 to 2022. Our findings highlight the evolution of approaches, tools, and models in SRC across Europe, confirming the surge in interest since 2000. We extend previous research by analysing the increasing trend in SRC publications and by providing an overview of how communication effectiveness is evaluated. While, particularly in Europe, there is a clear upward trend in the volume of publications about SRC, our review of 109 papers shows that only 48 evaluated the effectiveness of communication strategies. Those that did primarily employed quantitative methods, such as surveys, while qualitative approaches were underused. Critical factors like recipient understanding of seismic vulnerability and the credibility of information sources were often overlooked. Overall, the assessment of communication effectiveness remains inconsistent and underexplored, underscoring an urgent need for more comprehensive and standardised evaluations in future research.