YEREVAN. – The devastating Spitak earthquake claimed 25,000 lives and left 514,000 people homeless.  

Sociologist Aharon Adibekyan noted the abovementioned at a press conference on Friday. He spoke about the devastation that was caused by the major earthquake that had struck north and northwestern parts of Armenia back on December 7, 1988, and whose epicenter was the City of Spitak.

“Approximately 58 villages, [and] 11 cities were destroyed, 45,000 people were removed alive from under the rubble, 12,500 people were hospitalized, 120,000 people were evacuated—70,000 of whom outside Armenia. And the earthquake damage is estimated at $10 billion,” Adibekyan stated.  

The sociologist also noted that the lessons to be learned from the Spitak earthquake are as follows:

“Under the conditions of lies, falsehood, bribes, unlawfulness, [and] failure to meet the requirements of the law, you cannot have a normal country that will be able to withstand natural, societal and technological clashes and blows.”