TODAY ARMENIA MARKS 16TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPITAK EARTHQUAKE LEAVING 25
THOU. PEOPLE DEAD
ARKA News Agency
Dec 7 2004
YEREVAN, December 7. /ARKA/. Today Armenia marks the 16th anniversary
of the Spitak earthquake of 1988. This catastrophe in Armenia
undoubtedly was one of the most tragic events in history of the
Armenian people causing irreplaceable human and material losses.
Consequences for such a small country the catastrophe appeared to
be “universal”. The earthquake happened on 11.41 of local time. The
earthquake fully destroyed two towns in the Northern Armenia – Spitak
and Gyumri (former Leninakan) and more than 100 villages. Another
several towns have been destroyed partially. The earthquake 6 magnitude
covered the area around 30 000 sq. m. The quake was felt in Yerevan,
Tbilisi. As per scientists’ calculations energy equal to 10 nuclear
bombs dropped to Hiroshima was released in the zone of breaking in
the earth’s crust. The wave caused by the quake was registered by
seismographs in Europe, Asia, America and Australia. In epicenter
of the quake – Spitak the forth of the quake reached 10 magnitude
calculated as per 12 magnitude scale, In Leninakan the quake’s
magnitude was 9, in Kirovakan (now Vanadzor) – 8. On that day
according to official statistics 25 thou. people were killed, while
unofficial data mention the figure of 55 thou., 140 people became
disabled and half a million people were made houseless. In words
of Head of National Seismic Protection Service Alvaro Antonyan the
seismic regime in Armenia is stable today, it is monitored and does
not cause concerns. T.M. -0–