"Armenian National Survey for Seismic Protection"

Experience reveals the earthquake disaster is the most harmful for people and property.
Average annual losses estimated as 10-15 thousand victims and $20bln for property.
Natural hazards become disaster if it kills 10 or more people or leaves at least 100 people injured, homeless, displaced or evacuated. People are tempting nature with mistaken and thoughtless activity.

In case of high preparedness the devastating earthquake cause much less losses than it would cause in less disaster-resilient country. In 1989 a somewhat stronger the Loma Prieta earthquake (M=7.1)caused the huge economic loss in the Bay Area ($6 bln). It is remarkable, however, that the losses were not even greater.Unquestionably, the efforts to upgrade buildings to conform to the building codes of California helped minimize what could have been a catastrophic event (only 64 casual deaths).The 1988 Spitak Earthquake (25.000 people killed) reveals that there is no seismic protection system at all and the Government and people were helpless to withstand the disaster.Two important steps have been made to improve the situation.
First, the national Survey for Seismic Protection (Armenian NSSP) was founded in 1991 with the aim to organize population as well as buildings and structures seismic protection. Very soon the Armenian NSSP became the leading regional institution in the field of seismic risk reduction, and in 1998 has been awarded with UN-Sasakawa disaster prevention prize.
Second, in 1999 the Government of Armenia adopted two Long-term Complex Programs in the field of seismic risk reduction in the territory of Armenia and Yerevan city, which involves all the ministries, NGOs and private organizations in the activities relating to seismic risk reduction.

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