UN warns most cities remain unprepared for earthquake risks

Most cities around the world remain unprepared for seismic risks due to the complex and multifaceted nature of such threats, said Dmitry Mariyasin, Deputy Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE).

Speaking at a conference held on the margins of WUF13 in Baku, Mariyasin said earthquakes expose deep structural vulnerabilities in urban systems, Caliber.Az reports via local media.

“They show where housing systems, infrastructure, and land management fail. They test governance mechanisms and lead to enormous human, social, and economic losses,” he said.

Mariyasin stressed the importance of proactive investment in resilience and disaster preparedness rather than relying on post-crisis assistance.

“It is better to invest in resilience in advance than to provide assistance after a disaster,” he added.

By Vafa Guliyeva