This paper presents some of the results of a cross-sectional study conducted in Mexico City in 2015–2016. The approach has been the application of a questionnaire to a sample size of n = 1489. Six high schools participated in the study that are located within the seismic zones of the city. Some of the results and conclusions are given below: (a) 95% of the students have experienced an earthquake and 71% considered that earthquakes cannot be predicted; however, 29% did not know this fact; (b) 82.2% of students were all aware of the likelihood of an earthquake occurrence sometime in the future. (c) One of the key conclusions is associated with the need to educate the residents of the capital city on a more realistic scale of the size of an earthquake; this could be the “Modified Mercalli Intensity Scale” or similar. (d) More generally, the residents of the city should be educated with urgency on these basic concepts. The more effective is the communication on risks and consequences, the better may be their preparedness to earthquakes.
Part of the book: Earthquakes