3-9% of population suffer from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the disaster they survive.

“These people need professional psychological assistance,” psychologist Karine Nalchajyan told a press conference in Yerevan on December 7.

“Usually, 80% of people are able to conquer stress by themselves. However, it’s impossible to get rid of its consequences,” she said.

For his part, President of the Union of Disabled People NGO Hakob Abrahamyan brought the example of Arthur Grigoryan and Garush Danielyan, the sportsmen, who became disabled after the 1988 earthquake but did not give in and now represent our country at international tournaments.

“Earthquake is a wound, which is cured by time but leaves a scar,” Grigoryan commented.

22 years ago today, at 11:41 a.m. local time a magnitude 6.9 earthquake shook northwestern Armenia and was followed four minutes later by a magnitude 5.8 aftershock. 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 and left about 25 000 people dead, 100 000 wounded and 500 000 homeless.