The area of the Surmalu shopping center in Yerevan does not enable using many equipment. Armen Pambukhchyan, the Minister of Emergency Situations of Armenia, informed reporters about this on Monday.

"We are unable to carry out activities at once, considering that we have people under the rubble; we have great hope that living people, too. There is a real danger of the building collapsing; now we are carrying out the neutralization of the columns, which also pose a danger. We will neutralize the columns, we will have a field to work on because the location of people probably under the rubble is marked right there," said the minister.

Pambukhchyan added that there are both visitors and employees of the Surmalu shopping center among the injured.

As a result of the aforesaid explosion, there are six casualties; they are Misak Margaryan, Anahit Mkhitaryan, Jemma Nazaryan, Anahit Khalatyan, Vardan Kocharyan, and Gayane Avetisyan.

According to the latest information, 15 people are still being searched for as a result of the explosion.

The Ministry of Health had reported that 21 victims of this explosion continue to be treated at various hospitals, and they are in moderate condition.

At 1:23pm on Sunday, the National Crisis Management Center received a report that an explosion had occurred at the Surmalu shopping center in Yerevan. According to preliminary data, there was an explosion and an ensuing fire. There are six casualties, and the number of injured exceeds sixty.

Criminal proceedings have been launched into this strong explosion.