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Specialists examine buildings damaged in Tuva quakes

The Kyzyl Mayor’s Office continues receiving applications from local residents who ask to check their houses and draw up reports

GORNO-ALTAISK, March 23 (Itar-Tass) — Special commissions have been set up at the Kyzyl Mayor’s Office to examine residential buildings, social facilities and facilities of the fuel-and-energy complex of the city following strong quakes hitting Tuva over the past six months, the press service of the Tuva government told Tass on Thursday.

Three major quakes hit Tuva on September 25, December 27 and February 26, and about 100 aftershocks have been registered. A decision was made on Wednesday to lift the emergency situation regime announced at the end of February. It was replaced with the “high alert regime”. However, it has remained in place in several municipal regions, including Kaa-Khem, which was the epicenter of all recent quakes.

Particular attention is paid to 179 apartment buildings in Kyzyl which are in a dangerous condition. It is also necessary to finish the examination of 1,450 facilities, including 585 multi-storey houses with the total area of 1.216 million square meters, and determine which of this buildings must be fortified and which must be better pulled down to build new earthquake-proof houses.

A total of 2,158 damaged facilities have been revealed during a repeat examination. They include life support facilities, bridges and roads, residential buildings, schools and kindergartens, hospitals, rural entertainment centers and libraries.

This work has got a new impetus after a session on seismic safety of Siberian regions, held by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin several days ago. The Kyzyl Mayor’s Office continues receiving applications from local residents who ask to check their houses and draw up reports.

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