UN Urges Central Asia to Strengthen Earthquake Preparedness

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The United Nations has said earthquakes remain the deadliest type of natural disaster and has called on Central Asian countries to strengthen preparedness for potential seismic threats.

According to the UN, earthquakes accounted for more than half of all deaths caused by natural disasters between 2000 and 2023. The organization highlighted particular concern over Istanbul, a city of more than 15 million people.

The city is located near the North Anatolian Fault, one of the world's most active tectonic fault lines.

According to a 2025 study, the section of the fault beneath the Sea of Marmara is capable of generating an earthquake of around magnitude 7. The probability of such an event occurring near Istanbul in the coming decades is estimated at 40% to 60%.

The UN noted that high seismic risk is not limited to Türkiye. Almost the entire territories of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, as well as parts of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, are located in areas of elevated seismic hazard. Among the most vulnerable areas is the Ferghana Valley, which lies at the junction of Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan and is home to about 11 million people.

The UN cited the 2023 earthquakes in Türkiye and Syria as an example of the impact of major seismic events, saying they demonstrated the importance of keeping medical facilities operational during the first hours after a disaster. According to the organization, the disruption of hospital services during that period can deprive thousands of injured people of timely medical care.

Experts from the World Health Organization said investments in earthquake preparedness are significantly less costly than dealing with the consequences of major earthquakes.

According to the UN, constructing a new hospital in compliance with seismic-resistance standards increases project costs by no more than 4%, while retrofitting existing buildings requires investment of around 1% of their value and significantly improves the likelihood that they will remain operational after a major earthquake.

The experts also recommended maintaining emergency medical services in a constant state of readiness, conducting regular drills, expanding international cooperation and paying particular attention to protecting vulnerable groups, including older people and people with disabilities.