UNDP Administrator and EU ECHO’s Deputy Head of Unit to visit Tashkent’s Earthquake Simulation Complex
16/10/2014 18:52
UNDP Administrator and EU ECHO’s Deputy Head of Unit to visit Tashkent’s Earthquake Simulation Complex
16/10/2014 18:52
Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) -- On 17 October, UNDP Administrator Helen Clark and Mr Martin Taschner, Deputy Head of ECHO’s Unit for the European Neighbourhood, Middle East, and Central Asia will visit Tashkent’s Earthquake Simulation Complex at the Institute of Civil Defence in Tashkent City.
The facility will serve to build public awareness of Uzbekistan’s vulnerability to seismic events, and educate the public on the best means of preparing for and behaving during earthquakes.
Located in the seismically-active Central Asian region, Uzbekistan is prone to earthquake disasters. While minor tremors occasionally take place, the most catastrophic earthquake in Uzbekistan was that which occurred in Tashkent on the 26th of April, 1966. Measuring eight on the Richter scale, this event caused loss of life and considerable damage to Tashkent City’s built environment.
Earthquakes cannot be prevented but they can be prepared for, and Tashkent’s Earthquake Simulation Complex was constructed with this in mind. The complex was established with the support of the European Commission’s Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection Department (ECHO) within its Disaster Preparedness Programme DIPECHO VII for Central Asia and implemented through cooperation between UNDP and the Ministry of Emergency Situations, the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan and the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
The European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response, Kristalina Georgieva, said, “Countries in this region, like Uzbekistan are highly vulnerable to natural disasters which can cause great damage and undermine development. By adopting strategies to increase awareness on the threat of natural disasters and building resilience to cope with disasters, we are helping vulnerable communities as well as the responsible institutions to be better prepared when disasters strike. Preparedness is the key to helping save lives and enable faster recovery”.
It is planned that the Earthquake Simulation Complex will be used as a means of educating the public of the Republic of Uzbekistan about earthquake preparedness, while the centre will also be valuable resource to national stakeholders. The facility has been built to national and international standards of construction, at the location of the Institute of Civil Protection of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
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