WHO: The main lesson from the recent major earthquakes is to prepare for the next one and act early.

Earthquakes remain the deadliest of all natural disasters. From 2000 to 2023, they accounted for more than half of all deaths related to natural disasters. In the World Health Organization (WHO) European Region, millions of people live and receive medical care in buildings that could not withstand strong tremors, according to the UN press service.

Istanbul is particularly worrisome. The city, with a population of over 15 million, is located near the North Anatolian Fault, one of the most active in the world. According to a study published in 2025, a section of the fault runs beneath the Sea of ​​Marmara capable of generating an earthquake of magnitude 7. Scientists estimate the likelihood of such an event in the Istanbul region in the coming decades at 40-60 percent.

However, the risk zone is not limited to Turkey. The WHO European Region contains two of the world's largest seismic belts. Almost the entire territory of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, as well as certain areas of Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, along with the countries of the South Caucasus, are classified as zones of very high seismic hazard. The Fergana Valley, home to approximately 11 million people spread across three countries—Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan—is particularly vulnerable.

The devastating earthquakes in Turkey and Syria in 2023 demonstrated the critical importance of keeping hospitals functioning after a disaster. If medical facilities fail within minutes of a disaster, thousands of victims could be left without life-saving care.

WHO experts emphasize that preparedness is significantly cheaper than mitigation. According to UN estimates, building a new hospital with seismic safety requirements increases the project cost by less than four percent, while upgrading existing buildings can cost about one percent of their cost, significantly increasing their chances of remaining operational after an earthquake.

In addition to strengthening medical infrastructure, experts recommend maintaining emergency medical teams in constant readiness, conducting regular exercises, improving international coordination, and paying special attention to protecting the most vulnerable groups – the elderly, people with disabilities, and internally displaced persons.

As the WHO notes, the main lesson of the recent major earthquakes is that it is necessary to prepare before the next disaster occurs.