ITAR-TASS News Agency
TASS
July 30, 2005 Saturday 1:27 AM Eastern Time
Earthquake recorded in Armenia, no victims (adds)
By Tigran Liloyan
YEREVAN
An earthquake measuring 4.0-5.0 on the 12-point scale struck Armenia
overnight. There were no victims or destruction, the national
seismologic service told Itar-Tass.
The tremours were recorded at 01:10 Moscow time.
The epicenter was only seven kilometres west of the capital Yerevan
of more than a million people.
Seismologists usually use two systems – the Richter scale and the
12-point Medvedev-Sponheuer-Karnik MSK-64 scale of assessment of
quake consequences on the surface.
A one-point tremour is not felt by people and only recorded by
special devices. The nine-point quake destroys walls and roofs and
makes cracks on the earth surface. A twelve-point quake completely
destroys buildings and can even divert rivers.
Seven-point tremours destroyed almost all the northern part of
Armenia on December 7, 1988. The disaster killed 25,000 people,
injured the same number and left more than half a million without
homes. The quake destroyed the city of Spitak, 58 villages and
settlements and seriously damaged Leninakan, Stepanavan, Kirovakan
and many other residential areas. The disaster hit a total of 21
cities and towns and 350 villages.