15,000 Earthquakes Recorded in the Country in Eight Months

The head of the National Disaster Management Organization has reported that between 14,000 to 15,000 earthquakes occur annually, stating that by the end of November, approximately 14,800 earthquakes of varying magnitudes have taken place. Mohammad Hassan Nami emphasized that out of 64 natural hazards and man-made disasters, 44 have occurred in Iran. According to him, floods, earthquakes, land subsidence, landslides, droughts, frost, cold waves, heat waves, dust storms, and epidemic diseases are among the incidents that have occurred in the country. Nami's 'warning' remarks come as the head of the Tehran City Council's Urban Development Committee reported a 20% preparedness level in the capital against a potential earthquake. This has raised concerns, especially since on October 21, the head of the Tehran Disaster Prevention and Management Organization stated that 'the city's preparedness for an earthquake is not high.' Ali Nasiri also emphasized that 'the main concern is the lack of coordination among responsible agencies and the fragmented approach, where each agency wants to be in charge.' Activists in this field believe that prevention and response to earthquakes in Iran suffer from historical backwardness due to poor planning and the lack of necessary standards in building location and construction. The lack of coordination among various agencies is also a point emphasized by both officials and experts. Iran is one of the 10 most disaster-prone countries in the world. A seismologist warns that the location of the new Tehran stadium is on an 'earthquake fault line.' A silent crisis in Tehran; '3 million people' could die in the event of an earthquake. The disaster management of Iran's capital states that estimates of potential earthquake casualties in Tehran are 'classified.'