YEREVAN, AUGUST 15, ARMENPRESS. The more time passes the less chances of finding anyone alive under the rubble, a senior firefighter working at the Surmalu market said.

“It is clear that the more time passes the more chances of finding anyone alive is diminishing. The rescue operations don’t stop, we take into account the risks, safety precautions, we must eliminate he risks to be able to work. There is a risk of structural collapse, there are steel-concrete structures hanging, we must remove them and then carry out the search. Besides, using a tractor in this rubble could harm possible survivors under the rubble,” deputy chief of the rescue forces Bagrat Vardazaryan told reporters.

Right now there are 150 firefighter-rescuers deployed, with an additional 102 volunteers from the Armenian Red Cross Society and 15 volunteers from VOMA – a survival-training organization.

Photos by Tatev Duryan