In Armenia, thousands of victims of 1988 earthquake still need housing

Today, 24 years after the Spitak earthquake, about a thousand families living in Spitak, are still in need of housing. In Gyumri, about six thousand families still live in temporary housing facilities.

According to Sarkis Markosyan, Executive Director of the NGO "Spitak-Farmer", those in need are "the people who in due time received monetary compensations in Soviet roubles from the state for the loss of housing." "However, the money all at once lost its value due to inflation in the country; and the people were left helpless again," said Markosyan.

He added that under the government programme for development of the city 240 houses have been already settled; and the same number will be commissioned next year.

According to Vahan Tumosyan, Chairman of the NGO "Centre-Shirak", before the earthquake, the population of Gyumri made 240,000; now this figure has dropped to 90,000. Today, about six thousand families still live in temporary housing.

Under the state programme of building houses, 1756 families received apartments only in 2012. According to Tumosyan, 420 more families will receive their flats in 2013.

On December 7, 1988, the devastating earthquake burst out, the epicentre of which was in the village of Nalband that had completely bygone underground. The earthquake affected 40% of the territory of Armenia with about a million residents. According to official figures, the earthquake affected 21 towns and 342 villages; 18% of the housing stock of the country was destroyed. Spitak was destroyed completely, Gyumri, Stepanavan and Vanadzor – partially. The Spitak earthquake claimed about 25,000 lives; and 514,000 people were left homeless.

According to the National Statistical Service of Armenia, in 1988, 18,500 people lived in Spitak. After the earthquake, the number dropped to 11,500; and in 2012, the population of Spitak was 15 300.

The second most damaged city was Gyumri, where, according to official data, 17,000 people perished in the calamity.