Expert: RA government must provide seismic stability of Yerevan buildings

July 7, 2011 - 17:53 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Instead of large-scale construction of new buildings in the North Avenue, the government of Armenia should spend money to provide seismic stability of buildings in Yerevan, according to Gurgen Namalyan , representative of National Seismic Protection Service.

“Most of Yerevan buildings were constructed during the times of Soviet Union and may sustain 7 and 8- point earthquake,” Namalyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net correspondent.

“However, after Spitak earthquake in 1988, experts assessed the level of seismic hazard in Armenia at 9 points, and Yerevan is situated within the seismic dangerous zone,” said the expert adding that especially nine-storey and five-storey stone buildings are dangerous.

Namalyan noted that buildings constructed after 2000, may sustain strong earthquakes.

“If we give a realistic assessment to the situation, most of buildings in the capital have exhausted physically and must be dismounted. However, it is impossible due to economic situation and we offer to apply special technologies to provide buildings seismic stability,” said the expert touching upon solutions seismologists offer related to seismic stability of buildings, adding that they already have such experience, particularly in Vanadzor and Shushi.

“This method is very efficient, however we lack finances to implement the idea,” Namalyan said.