Armenians commemorate 34th anniv. of devastating Spitak earthquakeDecember 7, 2022 - 14:11 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - 34 years have passed since the devastating earthquake that hit the northwestern regions of Armenia on December 7, 1988. 34 years ago today, at 11:41 am local time, a 6.9-magnitude earthquake shook northwestern Armenia followed by a 5.8-magnitude aftershock four minutes later. In the epicenter – the village of Nalband – the tremors were reported to measure 10 on the Richter scale. The earthquake leveled the cities of Spitak and Gyumri, as well as about 60 villages, leaving at least 25,000 people dead, 140,000 disabled and 500,000 homeless. All financial and labor capabilities of the Soviet Union were mobilized for reconstruction, as 45 thousand builders from all the member states arrived to help rebuild the areas destroyed. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the restoration program was suspended. However, according to Tanya Arzumanyan, Head of the Housing Fund and Communal Infrastructures Department of the Urban Development Committee of Armenia, the housing problem of 5391 families affected by the 1988 earthquake in Spitak has been resolved. Top stories David Vardanyan is the son of former Karabakh leader Ruben Vardanyan who who is currently imprisoned in Azerbaijan. The number of state universities will be reduced from 23 to 8 by 2030, Minister of Education, Science, Culture and Sport Zhanna Andreasyan has said. From September 21 to November 11, a total of 2,820 Russians registered at a place of residence in Armenia, the police has said. The situation on the contact line between Karabakh and Azerbaijan was relatively stable overnight, the Defense Army says. Partner news | Ucom General Director gives lecture at French University in Armenia The General Director of Ucom Ralph Yirikian delivered a lecture at the French University of Armenia. Kazakhstan welcomes Yerevan, Baku’s agreement to meet in Almaty Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has welcomed the agreement of Baku and Yerevan to hold negotiations in Almaty. Armenia offers to temporarily host, preserve Gaza manuscripts The Armenian Foreign Minister has said Yerevan is ready to help preserve manuscripts from the conflict zone in Gaza. Aliyev says no need for mediators in Armenia-Azerbaijan process Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev believes that Baku and Yerevan do not mediators in the process of normalizing relations. |