EVENTS DATED TO 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF SPITAK EARTHQUAKE HELD IN VIENNA

PanARMENIAN.Net
24.11.2008 18:14 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Events dated to the 20th anniversary of Spitak
earthquake were held in Vienna under the aegis of Austrian Foreign
Minister and Ambassador of Armenia to Austria Ashot Hovakimyan,
the RA MFA press office reported.

Political and public figures, diplomats and members of the Armenian
community of Austria attended the events.

Reports were presented and documentaries screened.

The devastating earthquake shocked Armenia on December 7, 1988. At
11.41 a.m. local time a magnitude 10 earthquake destroyed the
entire city of Spitak. There was great damage to the nearby cities
of Leninakan (now known as Gyumri) and Kirovakan (today Vanadzor)
and some 350 surrounding villages.

The earthquake claimed lives of 25 thousand people; some 100 thousand
were wounded; over 500 thousand became homeless.

It was rated among the most crushing calamities of the world.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress