Editing Earthquake (section)

==Management==

===Prediction===
{{Main|Earthquake prediction}}

[[Earthquake prediction]] is a branch of the science of [[seismology]] concerned with the specification of the time, location, and [[seismic scale|magnitude]] of future earthquakes within stated limits.<ref>{{Harvnb|Geller|Jackson|Kagan|Mulargia|1997|p=1616}}, following {{Harvtxt|Allen|1976|p=2070}}, who in turn followed {{Harvtxt|Wood|Gutenberg|1935}}</ref> Many methods have been developed for predicting the time and place in which earthquakes will occur. Despite considerable research efforts by [[seismologist]]s, scientifically reproducible predictions cannot yet be made to a specific day or month.<ref name="ludwin">[http://www.geophys.washington.edu/SEIS/PNSN/INFO_GENERAL/eq_prediction.html Earthquake Prediction] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091007165545/http://www.geophys.washington.edu/SEIS/PNSN/INFO_GENERAL/eq_prediction.html |date=2009-10-07 }}. Ruth Ludwin, U.S. Geological Survey.</ref> Popular belief holds earthquakes are preceded by [[earthquake weather]], in the early morning.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lafee |first=Scott |date=April 9, 2010 |title=Quake myths rely on cloudy facts |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2010/04/09/quake-myths-rely-on-cloudy-facts/ |access-date=July 3, 2024 |work=[[The San Diego Union-Tribune]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Is there earthquake weather? |url=https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/there-earthquake-weather |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240303155939/https://www.usgs.gov/faqs/there-earthquake-weather |archive-date=March 3, 2024 |access-date=July 3, 2024 |publisher=United States Geological Survey}}</ref>

===Forecasting===
{{Main|Earthquake forecasting}}

While [[forecasting]] is usually considered to be a type of [[prediction]], [[earthquake forecasting]] is often differentiated from [[earthquake prediction]]. Earthquake forecasting is concerned with the probabilistic assessment of general earthquake hazards, including the frequency and magnitude of damaging earthquakes in a given area over years or decades.<ref>{{Harvnb|Kanamori|2003}}, p. 1205.  See also {{Harvnb|International Commission on Earthquake Forecasting for Civil Protection|2011}}, p. 327.</ref> For well-understood faults the probability that a segment may rupture during the next few decades can be estimated.<ref>Working Group on California Earthquake Probabilities in the San Francisco Bay Region, 2003 to 2032, 2003, {{cite web |title=Bay Area Earthquake Probabilities|url=https://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/wg02/index.php |access-date=2017-08-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170218174649/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/regional/nca/wg02/index.php |archive-date=2017-02-18 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Pailoplee|first=Santi|date=2017-03-13|title=Probabilities of Earthquake Occurrences along the Sumatra-Andaman Subduction Zone|journal=Open Geosciences|volume=9|issue=1|pages=4|doi=10.1515/geo-2017-0004|issn=2391-5447|bibcode=2017OGeo....9....4P|s2cid=132545870|doi-access=free}}</ref>

[[Earthquake warning system]]s have been developed that can provide regional notification of an earthquake in progress, but before the ground surface has begun to move, potentially allowing people within the system's range to seek shelter before the earthquake's impact is felt.

===Preparedness===
{{main|Earthquake preparedness}}

The objective of [[earthquake engineering]] is to foresee the impact of earthquakes on buildings, bridges, tunnels, roadways, and other structures, and to design such structures to minimize the risk of damage. Existing structures can be modified by [[seismic retrofitting]] to improve their resistance to earthquakes. [[Earthquake insurance]] can provide building owners with financial protection against losses resulting from earthquakes. [[Emergency management]] strategies can be employed by a government or organization to mitigate risks and prepare for consequences.

[[Artificial intelligence]] may help to assess buildings and plan precautionary operations. The Igor [[expert system]] is part of a mobile laboratory that supports the procedures leading to the seismic assessment of masonry buildings and the planning of retrofitting operations on them. It has been applied to assess buildings in [[Lisbon]], [[Rhodes]], and [[Naples]].<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Salvaneschi|first1=P.|last2=Cadei|first2=M.|last3=Lazzari|first3=M.|date=1996|title=Applying AI to Structural Safety Monitoring and Evaluation|journal=IEEE Expert|volume=11|issue=4|pages=24–34|doi= 10.1109/64.511774}}</ref>

Individuals can also take preparedness steps like securing [[water heating|water heaters]] and heavy items that could injure someone, locating shutoffs for utilities, and being educated about what to do when the shaking starts. For areas near large bodies of water, earthquake preparedness encompasses the possibility of a tsunami caused by a large earthquake.