The communication of emergency information shortly before or after the manifestation of seismic hazards is a crucial part of disaster management. Crisis communication aims to protect, support and guide the public and emergency services throughout the response and recovery phase. In the case of seismic events, a fundamental query refers to how the information to be released to the public immediately after/before the seismic event affects disaster impacts and management. This paper addresses the uncertainty involved in emergency seismic information, identifies the sources, means, content and mode of emergency communication and points to the effects of different models of crisis communication on public perceptions, on emergency responses and, hence, on disaster management. A review of past experiences of seismic crisis communication strategies in earthquake-prone countries, namely Greece and Japan, reveals successes and failures in managing uncertainty, and in building public trust and improving response capacities. The findings include the importance of crisis communication in seismic disaster management, the levels/layers of uncertainty involved in emergency seismic information and how they impact risk perceptions, the public trust/mistrust effect on scientific and management institutions as well as some recommendations for seismic crisis communication strategies to minimize uncertainty and improve emergency responses.

Understanding the seismic risk perceptions of emergency managers and first responders is fundamental to entrusting pre-disaster policy-making and emergency communication practices. Therefore, an online survey in Greece was conducted to assess the impact of knowledge, worry, experience, and other variables on seismic risk perceptions and to reveal emergency managers’ and first responders’ opinions on the overall emergency mechanism. The results reveal that, while seismic risk perception is high, important knowledge gaps are detected among members of the emergency and crisis management mechanisms. Poor coordination issues, ambiguity in responsibilities, the content of emergency seismic information (beyond uncertainty), and the need to improve prompt warning methods and modernised communication practices are indicated. As seismic risk perception is high, emergency managers’ and first responders’ knowledge of earthquakes and seismic disasters needs to be improved. Worry is the dominant shaping factor of participants’ seismic risk perception. Participants were highly concerned about the coordination credibility of the crisis communication and management mechanism. Inappropriate allocation of responsibilities, insufficient information, and lack of information clarity are highlighted.