Leading the National Infrastructure Ministry’s list of building requiring fortification against earthquakes are three northern district hospitals, Ziff Hospital in Tiveria, Bnei Tzion Hospital in Haifa and Rambam Medical Center in Haifa. The three are among the top five on the list. Also atop of the list are two schools, ORT Avret School in Chatzor HaGlilit and Havrush High School in Nesher.

The warnings of experts during recent years have gone unheeded, despite the frequency of quakes in the area felt primarily by northern residents. Hundreds of residents were killed in the large earthquake in 1927 and seismologists report similar large earthquakes hit the area approximately every 80 years.

Government officials report the concerns are greater when dealing with a public structure such as a hospital, school or government office. Many of the public building were constructed before earthquake considerations were part of building plans.

A committee was appointed by National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer comprised of representatives of a number of government ministries as well as a panel of experts. Based on the earthquake criteria a list was drawn up, which placed Ziff Hospital at the top.

Heading the committee if the National Infrastructure Ministry’s Dr. Avi Shapira, who explains the actual list was not comprised by making a physical inspection of the buildings, but by using the criteria used in today’s building code and comparing it to the structures. Only after the working plan is approved will each building undergo an inspection and then a fortification plan will be drawn up to enable each structure to endure an earthquake.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)