Interior Ministry furthers Israel's earthquake preparedness

Published: FEBRUARY 6, 2023 19:58

Members of the Knesset Honor Guard, Home Front Command, Firefighters, IDF and Israel's Magen David Adom Emergency Medical Services participate in an emergency drill simulating an earthquake near Ashkelon, on December 19, 2019. (photo credit: YANIV NADAV/FLASH90) — Members of the Knesset Honor Guard, Home Front Command, Firefighters, IDF and Israel's Magen David Adom Emergency Medical Services participate in an emergency drill simulating an earthquake near Ashkelon, on December 19, 2019.

(photo credit: YANIV NADAV/FLASH90)

Tens of millions of shekels in relief funds were transferred to local municipal authorities, specifically those more at risk to experience earthquakes.

Israel's Interior Ministry is working to increase the nation's level of preparedness for earthquake emergency scenarios, according to a Monday afternoon statement.

Tens of millions of shekels in relief funds were transferred to local municipal authorities, specifically those more at risk to experience earthquakes.

During the briefing, Eli Regev, the director of the Interior Ministry's emergency services administration, referenced the 7.8 magnitude earthquake that shook central Turkey early that morning, leaving hundreds of casualties in its wake. The quake was also felt in Israel and a tsunami alert was received but ultimately deemed irrelevant as there is no danger of a tsunami in Israel.

Preparations are being made for an IDF delegation to travel to the site of the disaster.

Emergency preparedness measures

A man stands in front of a collapsed building after an earthquake in Kahramanmaras, Turkey February 6, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/CAGLA GURDOGAN)

Approximately a year ago, the Interior Ministry established an interdisciplinary committee to handle earthquakes, which would work in conjunction with Home Front Command, the Housing Ministry and the Defense Ministry. The committee established several measures to deal with at-risk regions:

Transferral of additional emergency budget to all at-risk authorities, amounting to tens of millions of shekels.
Special earthquake training held in conjunction with the United States' Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
The director of the National Security Council, Tzachi Hanegbi, was presented with a request to allocate additional funds to reinforce buildings in at-risk areas.

Rom Peretz, Director General of the Interior Ministry, said: "The Interior Ministry, [being] responsible for the local authorities, regularly supervises the preparation for emergency scenarios in the country. Together with other authorities and ministries, we are doing everything possible to [increase] the readiness of the home country for extreme scenarios such as an earthquake. I believe that the many actions we have taken...will succeed in achieving the desired goal and saving the lives of many citizens."