At a Cabinet meeting on September 2, Deputy Prime Minister for Science and Education, Health and Sports Nurmukhammed Amannepesov presented the State Program for the Comprehensive Development of Seismological Science in Turkmenistan for 2022-2026 and the Action Plan for its implementation, the state information agency TDH reports .
The purpose of the program is to increase the role of science in the assessment of seismic threat and seismic risks, to collect information to identify seismically hazardous areas. It will contribute to the implementation of state policy in the field of ensuring the protection of the population and increasing the effectiveness of scientific research, the TDH notes.
President Serdar Berdimuhamedov instructed to intensify scientific research in this area , taking into account the seismic activity of the region . According to the head of state, this will help in studying possible risks and preventing environmental and man-made disasters. In conclusion, he instructed the Deputy Prime Minister to continue work in this direction.
In January 2019, the Academy of Sciences of Turkmenistan, together with the Parliament, began work to reduce seismic risks in areas of increased seismic hazard of the country. Turkmen specialists in partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency worked on the project “Improving the system of seismological observations in and around Ashgabat”. At the same time, together with UNDP, a strategy for forecasting and monitoring in this area was developed.
In December 2019, it was reported that by September 2021, the Scientific Research Institute of Seismic Construction would be built in Ashgabat.
It should be noted that Turkmenistan is located in a seismically hazardous zone. Earthquakes of various strengths are regularly recorded in the country.
On the night of October 5-6, 1948, one of the most devastating disasters in the world occurred in the country - the Ashgabat earthquake with a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale, during which, in addition to Ashgabat, a large number of settlements in nearby areas were affected. Remembrance Day has been held every 6 October in the country since then .
Source: Chronicles of Turkmenistan