The largest pre-seismic inspection ever carried out in Greece, by TEE engineers and OASP, begins immediately.
According to the information, the State bodies sent data for over 35,000 public buildings such as schools, hospitals and courtswhich have already acquired a “building identity” on the special platform created by OASP.
At the same time, the TEE has completed the training 1,250 engineers, who are expected to begin inspections of public buildings immediately.
The audits are subsidized with 32.5 million euros from the Recovery and Resilience Fund and are expected to last until the end of 2024. However, the authorities have already drawn the first important conclusions. Executives of the OASP and the TEE believe that up to 7,000 government buildings are in the “red” due to damage suffered from previous earthquakes and construction violations, but mainly due to age, as their construction preceded modern earthquake regulations. Civil engineers, in fact, speak of buildings from the 1950s or even earlier, which present a great risk in the event of a strong earthquake.
“It is very likely that a percentage of 15%-20% of the public buildings that will be checked by TEE engineers will be characterized as dangerous, with serious damage, and will be closed immediately. This is the first assessment, as most of these buildings were built before the modern anti-seismic regulations and are already facing serious structural problems”, emphasizes to “R” the president of the OASP and EKPA professor, Efthymios Lekkas.
The implementation of anti-seismic inspections of public buildings was decided in meetings in Maximou under the Prime Minister after the devastating earthquakes of Turkey in February 2023. This was followed by the passing of a law that imposed the mandatory inspection of public buildings, while a special inventory platform was created in OASP.
“The assessment of controls will include three categories. The first category includes the buildings that even the secondary control will show us that there is a big problem. Then the building will close. In the second category, the buildings with less damage are identified, but even there the analytical control will show the extent of the damage, the repairs and whether they can be carried out or the building becomes inactive. In the third category will be included the males without a problem. It will take eight to 10 months to complete the review“, emphasizes Eth. Lekkas.
The list of these 35,000 buildings includes schools, universities, hospitals, health centers, churches, port authorities, municipal buildings, sports fields, fire stations, tax offices, police stations, etc. It should be noted that the president of TEE Giorgos Stasinos had revealed to “R” that “there are buildings before 1955 that do not have any anti-seismic shielding, due to the lack of a serious anti-seismic regulation”.
The process of shielding the country from a major earthquake, however, also includes largest exercise that has ever taken place in Greece.
From Monday, April 22 until Wednesday, April 24, a large-scale earthquake exercise named “Minoas” will be held in Crete. According to the scenario of the exercise, 7.2 and 6.4 Richter will virtually hit the island, with forces being transferred even from Athens.
“The script includes 75 episodes, where all public services will be tested. There will be evacuation of 1,000 schools and interventions in airports, ports, hospitals, Health Centers. Messages will be sent via 112 to the mobile phones of all residents and tourists. It is organized by the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection, the Organization for Antiseismic Planning and Protection and the Region of Crete”, says the Eth. Lekkas.
The first supposed earthquake will happen on Monday, affecting Chania and Rethymnon. On Tuesday, a second earthquake of 7.2 Richter will occur near Heraklion, so the Regional Units of Heraklion and Lasithi will essentially be put into practice. There will also be instructions for places of refuge for the population (parks, school yards, stadiums, etc.) after the earthquake in the respective municipalities of all Crete.
For example, on April 22, message 112 will have the following content:
“EXERCISE – EXERCISE – MINISTRY OF CLIMATE CRISIS AND CIVIL PROTECTION – 22/4/2024 – TIME 10:30 – Strong earthquake felt in the Chania and Rethymnon Regional Units – Start of MINOA 2024 earthquake exercise. EXERCISE – EXERCISE – EXERCISE” – “ EXERCISE – EXERCISE – EXERCISE – MINISTRY OF CLIMATE CRISIS AND CIVIL PROTECTION – 22/4/2024 – TIME 10:30 – A strong earthquake in the Regional Units of Chania and Rethymno – Start of earthquake exercise MINOAS 2024. EXERCISE – EXERCISE – EXERCISE» .
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