Weather diversity, different geo-climatic conditions and lack of abidance by global standards have made Iran a high-risk country in terms of natural disasters. This makes it necessary to educate people and increase investments to reduce human and financial losses, the head of Iran's Red Crescent Society Abolhassan Faqih said, Iran Daily reported with reference to IRNA.
"Urban awareness programs can help reduce the impacts of natural disasters, particularly in major cities," Fagih told.
"Iran is prone to more than 75 percent of natural disasters, including flood and earthquake," he said, emphasizing the necessity of expanding urban programs and crisis management.
The official said more than $50 million are spent on fighting the effects of natural disasters every year in the world. "It imposes a heavy burden on the global economy," he added.
Faqih said one-third of the global budget is used for reducing the devastation caused by natural disasters. "The rest is used to compensate damages to urban structures caused by natural disasters," he said.
The official pointed out that 250,000 citizens on average fall victim to one natural disaster every year in the world, of which around 95 percent pertain to developing countries.
"More than 4.2 billion are living in developing countries, which are the main victims of natural disasters," he said.
He noted that aid organizations play a key role in reducing human losses, particularly in major cities that are hubs of economic activities, when a disaster happens.
Faqih insisted on the establishment of an alert system in Iran's economic hubs as a vital means to save lives and money.
"There are signs that warn about the coming of a natural disaster," he said, adding that the installation of alarming systems in major economic hubs can save many lives and money.
Last week, a symposium was held in Iran to review the role of aid workers in reducing human losses in case of a natural disaster. The event, the first of its kind, was attended by Health Minister Marzieh Vahid Dastjerdi.
Over 40 natural disasters, which claim the lives of millions of people, occur every year around the globe, 31 of which happen in Iran.