"We are delighted to announce a new USGS Twitter account that will answer common, and not so common, questions about earthquakes. The account, @USGS_Quakes, is operated by earthquake scientists and communicators and designed to educate and communicate the hazards associated with earthquakes and the inner workings of tectonic activity.
The team behind the account is dedicated to providing timely and accurate messages, primarily during working hours, to help the public understand when, where, and how earthquakes happen.
If you are wondering how we have already acquired over 183,000 followers, we repurposed the @USGSBigQuakes account. The account @USGSBigQuakes previously issued bot-fed notifications of M >5.5 earthquakes, that information can now be accessed at @USGSted."
The above provides emphasis to the role that Twitter is now playing in the area of general information and communications.
