Victims of Spitak earthquake remembered in Armenia and Artsakh

ArmInfo.The victims of the Spitak earthquake are remembered in Armenia and Artsakh.

Thus, on the occasion of the 33rd anniversary of the natural  disaster, Armenian President Armen Sarkissian made a speech. "Today  we remember the victims of the December 1988 catastrophe - the  devastating Spitak earthquake. I am sending my words of consolation  and support to all those of my compatriots who, as a result of the  catastrophic earthquake, have lost their loved ones, families and  homes.

In memory of our compatriots who perished, we can and must, together,  with our daily work and dedication, with hope and faith, rebuild our  Fatherland - our lasting home that will withstand any disaster, "  Armen Sarkissian said.

By tradition, a wreath at the memorial to the victims of the  earthquake in Gyumri was laid on behalf of the second President of  the Republic of Armenia Robert Kocharian. "Like every year, on  December 7, a wreath was laid in Gyumri on behalf of the second  President of Armenia, Robert Kocharian, in memory of the victims of  the devastating 1988 earthquake," reads Robert Kocharian's Facebook  page.

Today, on December 7, Artsakh Republic Foreign Minister David Babayan  visited the Stepanakert Memorial Complex, and on behalf of the entire  staff of the Foreign Ministry laid flowers at the monument to the  victims of the destructive earthquake in Armenia on December 7, 1988.  "We remember and grieve," he said.

To note, since 2019, December 7 has been proclaimed in Armenia as the  Day of Remembrance for the victims of the Spitak earthquake. The  country's parliament at a meeting on October 24 in the second and  final reading made additions to the law "On Holidays and Memorable  Dates." On December 7, 1988, a devastating earthquake occurred in  Armenia, which almost completely destroyed two cities in northern  Armenia - Spitak and Leninakan (present-day Gyumri), over a hundred  villages.  Several more cities were partially destroyed. In the  epicenter of the earthquake - the city of Spitak (northern Armenia),  the strength of the earthquake, assessed on a 12-point scale, reached  10 points. On this day, according to official data, 25 thousand  people died, 140 thousand became disabled, and half a million people  lost their homes.