Every new earthquake disaster revives the idea of earthquake prediction, the idea which was considered a few decades ago as a fantasy scientific endeavor. However, recent technical and scientific developments, as well as some social and economic pressures, have created a quite different atmosphere. Earthquake prediction has become a serious scientific activity combining the efforts and results of many disciplines, particularly those of the earth sciences. The principal purpose of earthquake prediction is to reduce the vulnerability of the population living within an earthquake prone region. For this reason, scientific disciplines other than seismology and geology are also involved; they include those dealing with various aspects of human response and environment.