If an earthquake is 'Long or Strong' - get confused, if you live in a multi-storey apartment

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2022-10-27 03:00

New Zealand

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If you live in a multi-storey apartment building and there's an earthquake, how do you know whether you should evacuate, and how do you know when it's safe to return? Researchers surveyed more than 700 Wellington apartment dwellers who experienced the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, to find out what evacuation information they received, and how they used it to inform decision-making.

Authors of the study say that people need to know how to respond following an earthquake before an event happens - for instance knowing whether to leave an apartment building or stay inside, and what to do if a fire alarm goes off. Communicating with Body Corporates or landlords can be difficult, and some apartment residents had trouble getting damage status information about their homes, making decisions about returning challenging. The authors conclude that communication strategies and emergency planning initiatives need to pay more attention to the unique needs of apartment dwellers.