Volunteers heard sounds from the basement near the rubble and we are currently checking to see if there is a survivor under the rubble, and we are also using special equipment, including video cameras. The head of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, Armen Pambukhchyan, told reporters, commenting on rumors that a live person was pulled from under the rubble.

"We were told that we heard sounds, we react very quickly to anything like that...Unfortunately, at the moment we cannot confirm this news," the minister said, specifying that in such cases preparatory work is carried out and the arrival of an ambulance is connected to this.

The minister said that during the day they were able to clear the rubble of the basement floor, as it is assumed that there may be survivors there.

When asked how many people might be there, and there was information that a pregnant woman, her child and her sister were in the basement room, the minister said that they had no clear information about who might be in what part, at the moment 22 citizens who are believed to be missing are being searched for.

According to him, about 30 percent of the area of 8,000-9,000 meters has been cleared so far, and the work will continue into the night.

The minister also said that cooling work is underway because otherwise small fires could occur due to high winds.  "But most of our forces are focused on search and rescue operations and clearing the area," he said.