Major Earthquakes Are Inevitable: How Can the World Prepare?
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June 24, 2026. Two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela within minutes of each other. Numerous buildings collapsed almost instantly. Hospitals suffered damage. Thousands of people became trapped beneath the rubble. Several thousand others went missing, while millions were forced to flee their homes in search of safety.
Seismologists described the event as a rare ‘earthquake doublet’, two major earthquakes occurring within a short period. It was Venezuela’s strongest earthquake since 1900.
Authorities have so far confirmed nearly 2,950 deaths. More than 11,000 people suffered injuries, and thousands remain missing. However, the US Geological Survey (USGS) fears the death toll could exceed 10,000.
Not wildfires, this time buildings collapsed. At least 855 structures sustained damage, including 189 that were completely destroyed. The disaster also damaged 13 hospitals. According to the United Nations, the earthquake caused direct economic losses of approximately $6.7 billion, equivalent to nearly 6 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Why Was the Disaster So Devastating?
Experts say the greatest problem was not the earthquake itself but the lack of preparedness. Venezuela had no national earthquake early warning system, leaving residents with little or no time to move to safety. The country also faced a severe shortage of rescue equipment. Without heavy machinery, volunteers searched for survivors by clearing debris with their bare hands.
The International Rescue Committee said rescue efforts fell short of what the scale of destruction required. The United Nations refugee agency warned that both the death toll and humanitarian needs continue to rise.
Warning Signs in Istanbul
As Venezuela struggled with the aftermath of the disaster, international experts gathered in Istanbul for a major conference. Health ministers, scientists, and disaster management specialists from multiple countries attended the event.
Istanbul itself faces significant earthquake risks. The city of nearly 15 million people sits near the North Anatolian Fault.
Research published in 2025 indicated that a magnitude-7 earthquake could originate from the fault line beneath the Sea of Marmara. Scientists estimate the probability of such an earthquake occurring within the next few decades at between 40 and 60 percent. Nearly 200 delegates attended the conference, including eight health ministers from four regions of the World Health Organization.
Participants focused on a single question: how to prepare before the next major earthquake strikes. Experts stressed that preparedness extends far beyond building hospitals. Governments must also ensure effective urban planning, secure water and electricity supplies, civil defense capabilities, and cross-border coordination. They emphasized the need to prioritize older adults, people with disabilities, and displaced populations.
Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, Regional Director for Europe at the World Health Organization, said countries must prepare during times of stability, not after disaster strikes.
Europe Is Not Immune
Much of the World Health Organization’s European Region, which includes 53 countries, lies in earthquake-prone areas. Greece, Italy, Romania, and Turkiye face some of the highest risks. Earthquakes cause an average of about €7 billion in economic losses across Europe each year.
Large areas of Central Asia including Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, also face significant earthquake risks. Despite this, awareness remains limited.
Around 35 percent of the European Union’s population lives in earthquake-prone areas, yet only 13 percent believe they are personally at risk.
What Needs to Be Done?
Experts say constructing earthquake-resistant buildings remains the most urgent priority. Governments must ensure that new hospitals can withstand major earthquakes and retrofit older facilities. They should also secure backup power systems, water supplies, and emergency equipment. Authorities need to maintain trained emergency medical teams, conduct regular drills, and provide the public with accurate information.
The United Nations notes that incorporating earthquake-resistant features into a new hospital adds less than 4 percent to total construction costs. Protecting critical equipment requires only about 1 percent in additional spending.
Lessons From Turkiye
The devastating Turkiye-Syria earthquakes of February 2023 killed 53,697 people and injured more than 107,000 others. At least 15 hospitals sustained damage.
Experts say hospital collapses create some of the most severe consequences during earthquakes because the number of injured people rises while healthcare capacity declines.
They also warn that mental health challenges often persist long after the disaster. Depression, anxiety, and the need for long-term rehabilitation typically increase in affected communities.
The Time to Prepare Is Now
A spokesperson for Turkiye’s Ministry of Health said, “We learned at a tremendous cost what is required to keep healthcare systems functioning during major earthquakes. There is no substitute for rapidly deployable teams, resilient hospitals, and plans that have been tested in advance.”
“The next major earthquake will come,” the spokesperson added. “The time to prepare is now.”
