Following the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, Many Israelis also expressed concern about the possibility of severe earthquakes reaching the Jewish state. After all, Israel is part of the Levant just like Syria and Southern Turkey and a major fault line does run through the country. Shuki Ohana, mayor of Safed, talked about his concerns on an Israel radio program and shared what he thinks needs to be done.

On the possibility of an earthquake in the northern part of the country, Ohana said: "We hear from time to time about a discourse on security challenges, how the Israeli home front will look in the third Lebanon War, security issues always grab headlines for everyone and pass the screen everywhere and in the media. The big challenge is right here, on the ground, in my city, and I imagine in the entire north, that could leave destruction and chaos here that I think, unfortunately, all of Israel's wars together could not leave. This is the challenge."

Israeli buildings face major earthquake risk, despite efforts to upgrade them. According to official estimates, at least 600,000 residential homes and many other buildings remain unprotected, as experts urge more comprehensive action [TOI] #Israel #earthquake #preparation pic.twitter.com/0x64vQLbcg

— Eli Dror (@edrormba) February 6, 2023

"Any building that is pre-1980s, its writing is on the wall. There are hundreds of them," Ohana said of the buildings in the ancient city that could easily be damaged. "I mobilized all the heads of the surrounding authorities, we already issued a paper in February 2022, we asked for funds, we raised the issue in the Knesset and everywhere else needed. We need to come out and say it out loud, ‘an earthquake is not a question of if, it's a question of when.’” 

He also shared that "the state is not soliciting solutions, and currently we have nothing tangible. I say that we need to establish a directorate for earthquakes and a directorate for strengthening buildings. A survey was done by the Home Front Command, something like a year ago showing which buildings won't last in one way or another if a major earthquake strikes."

Israeli geologists are warning that Israel is overdue for a "disastrous earthquake" and that the country is not prepared enoughhttps://t.co/7BeWh7ZoUz

— Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) February 6, 2023

"I understand that today there is some kind of thinking and going down to the details with gaps, we are already talking about budget gaps, to consider revenues, I know that the Ministry of the Interior is also already submitting its initial requirements. There are certain actions already being taken. They should have carried out these protocols a long time ago. The last earthquake was right at the door of the house. In Safed every 100 years or so there is a major earthquake. In 1837 there was a big one in Safed, the town was really destroyed, also in 1927, and now we are waiting in the 21st century."