25-27 August 2016
Dushanbe, Tajikistan

On 25-27 August, 2016 the International conference «Central Asia EartquakeSafety» was held.

The conference organizer was the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan.

The main objective of the conference was the creation of a common platform for the exchange of scientific and practical information, ideas and opinions of scientists, experts, and other professionals in the field of seismic safety in the Central Asia countries, Russia, the United States, Europe and Asia. The total number of participants was more than 100, among them leading scientists, experts and employees of research institutions in Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Germany, Norway, France, Italy, USA, China, Iran, Afghanistanand international organizations.

The conference sessions were held in three fields: seismic monitoring, seismic risk reduction for large cities and the safety of hydropower plants cascades in mountain regions.

The main focus of the conference participants was focused on the discussion of the problems of seismic monitoring in Central Asia countriesstate, the exchange of international experience in seismic risk assessment and risk reduction for large cities and providing the safety of hydropower plants cascades in mountainous regions. There were presented the current specific initiatives at regional level and independent countries in seismic riskreduction field, marked the experience in their implementation. Presentations, discussions and exhibition, held in the framework of the conference will serve as material for the publication, which will be sent to participants of the conference.

The conference was widely covered by mass media.

As a result of presentations and active discussions, participants agreed that:

• assessment of seismic risk and the possible social and economic consequences of strong earthquakes, as well as the development and organization of effective measures aimed at their reduction should be carried onby using of modern methods based on GIS-technologies, and development the networks of modern digital seismic stations;
• rehabilitation and development of regional seismic monitoring and co-operation of experts in the field of seismology and earthquakeengineering, of Central Asia countriesfirst of all, is essential for seismic hazard assessment and seismic risk reduction in the region;
• it is necessary to ensure the free access to the data of all Central Asia countries and to use the unified data collection and processing system in all seismic centers in the region;
• it is necessary to carry out activities to raisetheawarenessabout the seismic hazard and the importance of knowledge about theearthquake engineering by population and government bodies, responsible for accepting decisions;
• historical data and seismic observations results have shown, that in the region of the hydropower plants cascade on the Vakhshriver in the past 500 years has not occurred an earthquake with intensity more than 6 points on MSK-64 scale. Therefore, construction of the cascade of hydroelectric power plants, regardless of the height of dams, in adherence to the international standards of design and construction construction, does not increase the background level of seismic risk.

Participants of Conference suggested the following to be appropriate:

• to promote joint efforts of scientists and experts in exchanging the seismic data as well as in the Central Asia region and with international centers in order to reduce the risk of possible local and cross-border earthquakes;
• to support researches, aimed at the forecast of strong earthquakes consequences and the organization of effective measures on reduction the social and economic losesby using of various innovation technologies;
• to assist the international organizations in realization of various projects aimed at ensuring the seismic safety of the population, seismic risk assessment and reduction for the different regions and cities of Central Asia;
• to develop an integrated policy in the field of cross-border exchange of information on natural disasters (including the global climate change);
• to assist in the establishment of regional Center on data collection, storage and exchange;
• to assist in the quick development of seismic monitoring systems in epicentral zones of strong earthquakes in the region;
• based on the results of conducted and being under execution scientific researches, to inform the bodies responsible for accepting the decisions and population of the region, that the construction of hydropower plants and their operation does not represent a threat;
• to use the results of scientific-research works of scientists and research institutions at practice by all government and non-government, construction and other organization, conducting their activity in these fields.

Implementation of listed measures will allow tominimizemaximalthe amount of damage and losses in the case of emergencies.

In addition, the conference participants concluded:

— to ask donors and international organizations to support projects and programs aimed at modernization of the existing seismic networksand seismic risk reduction;

— to stress the importance of further researches in the above mentioned fields;

— to recognize the held conference successful and recommend to research institutions in Central Asia, working in theseismic safety ensuring field, to organize a further holding of such kind conferences once every three years and involve to active participation in conferences the leading scientists of the region and the world;

— to publish the Resolution of the conference in the website of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan, in the Internet –mass media resources of Central Asia countries, to send the Resolution to conference participants, interested research institutions and centers, international organizations, Governments of Central Asia countriesand other interested countries.

The participants of Conference expressed gratitude to the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan for initiative in organizing and holding this conference.