Over 82% of residents believe that Bucharest is not ready for a major earthquake. In addition, nearly half of respondents (45%) have not taken protective measures yet, although they admit they should, and only 15% developed an action plan in case of an earthquake, according to a by the Bucharest Community Foundation.
Forty-eight years after the devastating 1977 earthquake, fear of earthquakes remains high. 59% of Bucharest residents consider earthquakes a major threat, ranking them as the second biggest reason for concern, after personal health issues (70%), and 57% feel vulnerable in case of a major earthquake.
Fear of earthquakes is more spread among women (62%) compared to men (51%) and the highest levels of concern are found among residents aged 35 to 64. Young generations aged 18 to 24 are more optimistic, with 39% of respondents stating that the city’s preparedness is ”so and so”.
In the event of a major earthquake, Bucharest residents’ main concerns revolve around losing loved ones (83%), building collapses (75%), the risk of injury or death (67%), and losing their home (59%). Some fears are significantly more present among women, such as economic and social instability (37% vs. 24% among men) or loss of personal belongings (32% vs. 22%).
Although 49% of Bucharest residents feel informed about what to do in the event of an earthquake, 43% have not taken any precautionary or informational measures yet. At the same time, approximately 33% have never discussed emergency measures with their family, and 31% say they would only instinctively know what to do during an earthquake.