19TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE IN SPITAK

armradio.am
07.12.2007 11:57

Today is December 7th, the day of commemoration of the victims of the
destructive earthquake of 1988 in Spitak. Several Armenian cities,
about 300 villages were destroyed as a result of the strong earthquake
that took place on December 7, 1988 at 11:45 a.m.

According to different estimations, the number of victims reached
25 thousand, 140 thousand became handicapped, about 1 million people
were left without shelter. Within 30 seconds the underground shakes
practically destroyed Spitak, which was at the epicenter of the
disaster. Leninakan (Gyumri), Stepanavan and Kirovakan (Vanadzor)
were also ruined. Quakes were registered in Yerevan and Tbilisi,
as well. Armenia was offered aid from different sites of the world.

Today the earthquake zone has turned into a development site
traditionally visited by Armenian state officials and politicians,
culture workers. RA President Robert Kocharyan also left for Shirak
marz today.