EMSC (Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre) tools for detecting felt earthquakes and for meeting witnesses' immediate information needs, via on social media, websites and a mobile app

EMSC (Euro-Mediterranean Seismological Centre) has developed innovative and efficient tools to detect felt earthquakes and meet witnesses' immediate information needs. The system is based on crowdsourcing and flash-sourcing and uses the eyewitnesses' technological behaviour as real-time sensors. It relies on social media (especially Twitter), websites (standard and mobile) and a mobile application, LastQuake. The app is now used in 191 countries (Figure 1.1 in source document) by about 200,000 people. The LastQuake users' community is composed of eyewitnesses, citizens with relatives living in seismic areas, as well as by scientists and some emergency managers.

Cultural Factors: Local knowledge, Communication, Social networks, Access and use of infrastructure/services

Hazards: Natural hazards

Disaster Phases: Prevention, Preparedness, Response, Recovery

Types of Actors Concerned: Non-active citizens, Active citizens, National research bodies, Healthcare and emergency services

Recommendations:

• The use of new technologies (e.g. Bluetooth) can improve communication strategies in disaster management situations
• Use cultural factors to improve the effectiveness of disaster communication