Epress.am News from Armenia
Twenty-two years ago, on Dec. 7 at 11:41 am local time (07:41 UTC/GMT), an earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale took place in the north of Armenia.
The epicenter was in the city of Spitak and surrounding villages. The magnitude in Spitak was 10; Gyumri, 9; Stepanavan, 9; Vanadzor, 8–9; and Yerevan, 6. According to official data, the quake killed 25,000 people and left 514, 000 homeless. Thousands of people received various bodily injuries, while the value of material losses was estimated to be at $10 billion US.
Until today, the area affected by the earthquake is considered a “disaster zone,” and hundreds of families are still waiting for their turn to receive new housing.