Experts told how to prevent a large-scale catastrophe.
State Comptroller Matanyahu Engelman warned in a report that 93% of “threatened” buildings would collapse in the event of a major earthquake in Israel.
This is reported by the Telegram channel “Israel Today”.
According to him, the government and local authorities are unable to cope with the earthquake that will hit the region in the coming decades. Despite previous warnings, the Ministry of Construction and Housing has not completed the consolidation of 1,124 buildings requiring immediate intervention. This applies to cities most at risk of earthquake damage, especially in Beit Shean, Tiberias, Safed, Kiryat Shmona and the Hagalilit region.
The report says that 93% of buildings that have been cited in the past as “buildings that can collapse” will not survive an earthquake. According to Engelman, our country is located near the Syrian-African Rift, and therefore the risk of a high-intensity earthquake there increases every year.
He mentioned that there is a high probability that a major earthquake will occur in the area between southern Lebanon and the southern part of the Dead Sea within the next 50 years. Against this background, the expert calls on the government to take swift and decisive action.
“Given the significant budgetary resources needed to strengthen buildings and infrastructure in remote communities, most of which are of low socioeconomic status, the commitment of all professional parties and an appropriate allocation of resources is needed,” he said.
Engelman added that the government still hasn’t strengthened regarding 70% of schools that need infrastructure improvements. According to the report, a large-scale catastrophe in the cities with the highest risks can be prevented with an investment of 2.34 billion shekels.
Cursor also reported that exercises were being launched to prepare the army for a large-scale earthquake and war.
