18:32, 4 October 2014

Armenian authorities allot funds to build housing for Spitak earthquake victims

The Armenian government has allocated 1.5 billion drams, or about 3.7 million US dollars to build flats for residents of Gyumri – victims of the 1988 earthquake, said Narek Sarkisyan, the Minister of Urban Development.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that many of the victims of the 1988 earthquake are still living in temporary housing erected after the earthquake.

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.

Minister Sarkisyan said on October 2 that the housing waiting list in Gyumri still has about 450 persons out of the initial 3240.

According to his story, for most of those on the waiting list apartments are already in place. The rest of them will receive certificates for buying flats, since there are enough of them in the city housing market. The above allocation will solve the problem of 215 families; and the rest of them will receive certificates in half a year, the "News.am" quotes Narek Sarkisyan as saying.

Full text of the article is available on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’.