Earthquake warnings to government bodies and the public

Warnings of impending earthquakes are made on various timescales and for various purposes. In some cases a warning may lead to better observation of a particular area. In other cases a warning may lead to rescuing people from houses that may be vulnerable to the expected hazard. In countries where destructive earthquakes are the norm, there needs to be continuous interactive communication between geoscientists and government bodies regarding observation, prediction, and selection of the most appropriate steps to be taken to mitigate risks. Warnings may involve assessing the effects of a destructive earthquake in a particular area. Earthquake warning may involve assessing which fault will most probably rupture next inside a seismic zone. Warnings may be time-dependent (i.e., indicating on a short-term or long-term basis the imminence of an earthquake).