An Israeli construction official warned Monday that buildings constructed prior to January 1980 would most likely not survive an earthquake.
"Any building that was issued a building permit before January 1980 was very likely not built according to standard for earthquake resistance [known as standard 413]," Yair Dickman, a structural engineer at the Israeli Association of Construction & Infrastructure Engineers told Ynet following the earthquake in Turkey and Syria.
Dickman explained that tenants can know the level of risk in their buildings. “The structures that were built after 1980 are according to standard 413, and are supposed to be resistant to earthquakes.
"If an old building does not meet the standard, the recommendation is to demolish it and rebuild it in the framework of urban renewal. If reconstruction is not an option, then the foundations - the pillars and walls - must be strengthened," he said.
According to the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Israel currently has about 1.6 million apartments with no secure space, which is some 5.5 million residents, as of June 2022.
In addition, data from the Israel Builders Association indicates that more than half of the apartments in Israel are without a secure area, with Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Haifa leading the list.
In another report by the State Comptroller, published in July 2022, nearly 5,000 structures across the country were classified as dangerous with a chance of collapsing, including some 610 housing units, which apparently do not meet the necessary code.
In a report, the comptroller said that government ministries have no updated information and have no idea which buildings are in the worst condition, all while local authorities claim they do not have the resources to deal with the challenge.
First published: 18:34, 02.06.23