Epress.am News from Armenia
Update, 9:41 am: Two injured officially reported. The Ministry of Emergency Situations press center reports that Archis village resident Hrachik Zhora Musayelyan, 38, has a minor fracture and receiving treatment at the hospital in Noyemberyan, has been released. Alaverdi city resident Artak Rafayel Mayilyan, 24, has scratches and receiving treatment at the hospital in Alaverdi, has been released.
A landslide struck the 83rd kilometer mark on the Yerevan-Vanadzor M6 highway, leaving 8–10 vehicles swallowed in the rubble, the head of the Tavush marz (province) rescue department said Sunday. According to him, there are currently no reports on the number of casualties or injured, but these are not ruled out.
According to different unofficial sources, 5–8 people, including citizens of neighboring Georgia, have been taken to hospital.
By Sunday evening, the Armenian prime minister had formed a rescue mission and corresponding services were sent to the scene. Everything possible is being done to uncover the vehicles and rescue any trapped passengers, the Armenian government said in a statement.
Rescue services are asking members of the public to refrain from using the Vanadzor-Bagratashen road.
Offered instead is an alternative route, Vanadzor-Dilijan-Idjevan-Bagratashen.
The RA Ministry of Emergency Situations Crisis Management Center asks all those with information or questions to call any of the following hotline numbers: 010-52-96-90, 010-36-02-97, 060-44-02-38.
12:10 pm update: Other unofficial reports (mostly witness testimonies) state that, in fact, dozens of cars were trapped in the landslide, many of them with Georgian and Turkish license plates.
Video by Tavush TV