Extended Abstract
Introduction
With the intensification of global climate change and geophysical movements since the beginning of the twenty-first century, earthquakes, tsunamis, landslides, and other natural disasters have occurred repeatedly, profoundly impacting global economic and social development. Among these disasters, earthquakes are the most devastating, and therefore, disaster risk management for earthquakes has become a hot topic in academic and political forums. Earthquakes are considered one of the most significant natural disasters, causing numerous natural and human problems upon their occurrence. Iran is among the ten earthquake-prone countries globally due to its geographical and geological location. When an earthquake disaster occurs, it leaves significant destruction in rural areas in terms of environmental, social, and economic dimensions. Therefore, it is essential to take action to reduce the adverse effects of natural hazards in these areas by adopting sustainable rural development based on risk management, devising and implementing appropriate methods.
 
Methodology
This research is descriptive-analytical and focuses on rural areas in Khonj County. The data collection methods used in this research are library and field studies, where the current situation was examined in the field, and collected information was adapted to the study environment. The research begins with a review of previous studies on rural settlements and natural hazards, including earthquakes. The sources from which data were collected include existing library resources, Landsat 8 satellite images, topographic and geological maps, and meteorological data. To identify earthquake-vulnerable rural areas, maps of faults, earthquakes, elevation, river networks, distance from rivers, slope maps, precipitation and temperature maps, and geological maps were prepared. Then, using Geographic Information System (GIS), each layer was assessed, and the final map resulting from the overlap of all factors was obtained.
 
Results and Discussion
The minimum altitude in Khonj County is 229 meters above sea level, and the maximum altitude is 1746 meters above sea level, which corresponds to the heights present in the county. The study area does not have uniformity in altitude, and the settlements in this county are mainly located at its average altitudes. Most of the villages in Khonj County are situated on southwest slopes, with 17 villages, representing 0/021 of the total settlements. This slope has been more attractive for settlements. While the southern and southwestern slopes encompass most of the spaces in this region. Out of 64 urban and rural settlements in the study area, 35 (0/030/46) settlements are located on the Gachsaran formation. Most parts of Khonj County are exposed to severe erosion, indicating a severe need for erosion control measures. Two villages are located at the highest risk distance from faults. These villages, Qasemabad and Talmeh, should consider relocating their settlements to safer areas away from the fault lines. Five other villages are located within 200-400 meters of faults, necessitating a reconsideration of their resettlement plans. However, it's evident from the study of Kangan County villages that nearly 0/060 of these villages are located at a reasonable distance from fault lines, which serves as a positive aspect of the settlements in this county.
 
Conclusion
Based on the final map obtained by combining all the maps, rural areas exposed to severe earthquake hazards include 14 villages. These 14 villages are mostly located in the eastern part of Mahmaleh and Baghan districts. Villages located in areas with lower risks are the second group, facing lesser risks compared to villages in high-risk areas. A total of 15 villages are situated in these areas, scattered around high-risk rural areas and distributed across all four districts of the county. The rest of the county areas indicate the locations of settlements where earthquake risks are not evident, with 45 villages settled in these areas, representing the highest number of settlements according to the map.