Parliamentarian: Strong Earthquake Will Paralyze Relief Efforts in Tehran
Abdolreza Hashemi-Zadeh, a member of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, warned about reckless construction taking place in Tehran. He stated that in such conditions, relief forces would be unable to do anything in the event of a 7-magnitude earthquake.
Abdolreza Hashemi-Zadeh, a member of the Councils and Internal Affairs Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, in an interview with ISNA news agency correspondent, following an earthquake with a magnitude of 2.5 on the Richter scale at 23:27 on Wednesday (29 Azar / 20 December) in Tehran and some cities surrounding the capital, strongly warned about the reckless construction that exists in Tehran.
Criticizing disproportionate construction, he said that in Tehran “a 20-story tower has been built next to a six-meter alley” and this creates the concern that in the event of a 7-magnitude earthquake, relief forces would be unable to do anything.
This member of the Councils and Internal Affairs Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran described Tehran’s situation, with a population of more than 14 to 15 million, as deplorable and said that the people of Tehran “can do nothing but maintain their composure.”
He said that what is said about Tehran’s resistance “is only in terms of propaganda and rhetoric”: “If a strong earthquake happens in Tehran, relief efforts in Tehran will be paralyzed and will be unable to do anything.”
Abdolreza Hashemi-Zadeh, emphasizing the necessity of renovating the “worn-out” fabric of Tehran, considers it unlikely that with the country’s budget situation, one could implement “the 20 percent annual renovation mandated in the five-year plan during five years.”
The member of the Councils and Internal Affairs Commission of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, based on existing statistics about Tehran’s urban fabric, said: “The statistics provided to us indicate that nearly five million people live in worn-out and old neighborhoods in Tehran.”
Abdolreza Hashemi-Zadeh, finally emphasizing that one cannot quickly prevent “losses and problems” in Tehran, said that people must maintain their composure and “only God can save Tehran.”
Source: DW
