Important warning from WHO for Uzbekistan: high earthquake risk

Earthquakes remain one of the natural disasters that cause the highest number of human casualties worldwide. Since some regions of Uzbekistan are located in high seismic activity zones, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an important warning regarding this matter.

According to WHO data, more than half of all deaths related to natural disasters between 2000 and 2023 were caused by earthquakes. Experts emphasize that certain regions of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan are situated in high seismic risk zones. Special attention is also paid to the Fergana Valley, where nearly 11 million people reside.

The organization notes that the readiness of the medical system during potential earthquakes is of critical importance. The powerful earthquakes that occurred in Turkey and Syria in 2023 demonstrated that if hospitals become non-functional, thousands of victims may be left without timely medical assistance.

According to experts, the funds spent on making hospitals earthquake-resistant are significantly lower than the costs of post-disaster recovery. UN estimates suggest that building new medical facilities in compliance with seismic requirements increases the project cost by less than 4 percent, while reinforcing existing buildings increases it by approximately 1 percent.

The WHO also recommends conducting regular training exercises, strengthening the preparedness of emergency medical teams, improving cooperation between services, and intensifying measures to protect vulnerable segments of the population, such as the elderly and persons with disabilities.

Experts emphasize that the main lesson from recent major earthquakes is clear: preparing for a natural disaster in advance, rather than waiting for it to happen, is crucial for saving human lives.