Seismic safety and aging building stock in Cyprus

Platonas Stylianou, First Vice President of the Scientific and Technical Chamber of Cyprus (ETEK) and President of the European Council of Civil Engineers, has highlighted the challenges posed by Cyprus's aging building stock. He emphasized that recent earthquakes in Venezuela underscore the necessity of seismic safety in high-risk zones, including the Eastern Mediterranean. According to Stylianou, buildings constructed after 2012 in Cyprus offer a high level of protection, while those built between 1994 and 2011 show improved performance compared to older structures. He noted that the most significant concern lies with buildings constructed before 1994 that do not meet modern standards. Although major earthquakes are infrequent in Cyprus, with the last significant event occurring in 1996, the region faces moderate to significant seismic risks. ETEK advocates for the strict application of anti-seismic regulations, proper maintenance, and regular building assessments to mitigate potential risks. This assessment aligns with the global consensus that building vulnerability directly correlates with human casualties during seismic events.