Gegharkunik Governor visits village affected by earthquake

GAVAR, AUGUST 14, ARMENPRESS. Gegharkunik Governor Karen Sargsyan and Martuni Mayor Hovhannes Hoveyan have visited Yeranos, the village where structural damages were reported after the August 12 magnitude 4,2 earthquake. No deaths were reported.

Local officials accompanied the governor and the mayor and briefed them on the damages.

According to preliminary studies, most of the 911 calls came from Yeranos village, which was close to the epicenter.

Sargsyan visited the Yeranos public school and damaged apartments. Damages occurred also in Vardadzor, Dzoraghbyur, Tsakkar, Verin Getashen Tsovasar, Zolakar and Litchk. Damages were mostly reported in old structures, while the quake caused only cracks in the outer or inner walls of new buildings. Schools, kindergartens and other public buildings were also damaged.

Governor Sargsyan instructed officials to add members to the commission dealing with the elimination of the consequences and swiftly assess damages.

“We will try to swiftly conclude the volume of the damages and present it to the government’s attention,” he said. “Fortunately, we didn’t have human losses, and in terms of restoring the material damages we will try to find the necessary means.”

Khosrov Khlghatyan