70 percent of housing construction projects in Uzbekistan cannot withstand an earthquake

Since many buildings in Uzbekistan, especially single-family houses, are constructed without adhering to construction norms and regulations, 70 percent of housing construction projects lack seismic stability. This assertion is made in the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers titled "On the Development of the National Action Plan in Relation to the Risk of Climate Change and Natural Disasters and the Organization of its Effective Implementation."

It has been reported that there is a risk of earthquakes with an intensity of 7 and above on the 12-point international CEC-64 scale within the republic. Numerous seismological services in Central Asian countries record approximately 3,000 earthquakes of varying degrees each year.

The housing sector, as well as the service, economy, industry, and trade sectors, are the most vulnerable to strong earthquakes, with the majority of affected structures located in cities and large settlements.

Roughly 70 percent of Uzbekistan's population resides in seismically active zones. Because many buildings, particularly single-family houses, are erected without adhering to construction norms and regulations, 70 percent of housing construction projects lack seismic stability.

The secondary effects of an earthquake are likely to be devastating and may trigger or accelerate other hazards. Numerous secondary effects, such as dam failures, flooding from high-altitude lake overflows, and the release of toxic substances through mudslides, can have significant transboundary consequences.

Furthermore, the number of natural disasters within the republic's territory has significantly increased in recent years due to climate change. The average number of natural disasters was 115 from 2001 to 2010, and 126 from 2011 to 2022. Of these, 46 percent were earthquakes, 27 percent were floods, 13.5 percent were landslides, 8.7 percent were strong winds, 2.4 percent were tsunamis, 1.6 percent were wildfires, and 0.8 percent were avalanches, among other contributors.

The aforementioned decision approves Uzbekistan's national action plan for reducing the risk of natural disasters and enhancing resilience to climate change from 2023 to 2030.

The following priorities have been identified for the implementation of the National Action Plan:

• Enhancing the organizational and legal frameworks for reducing the risk of natural disasters and increasing resilience to climate change.
• Dissemination of knowledge and experience among the population to reduce the risk of natural disasters and increase resilience to climate change.
• Implementation of financing measures to reduce the risk of natural disasters and increase resilience to climate change.
• Enhancing preparedness levels to respond in the event of natural disasters.