Lives unrepaired after Armenian earthquake

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http://atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/CEN-01-091213.html



Lives unrepaired after Armenian earthquake
By Gayane Abrahamyan
Dec 9, '13

Twenty-five years ago, a massive earthquake turned northern Armenia upside down. Many survivors who still call the area home have had a tough time putting the trauma behind them.

Gyumri, Armenia's second-largest city, bore much of the damage on December 7, 1988, when a 7.0-Richter-scale earthquake struck the region, with the epicenter in Spitak, 52 kilometers to the northeast. The quake grabbed headlines worldwide and killed at least 25,000 people in the region. Thousands more were maimed and hundreds of thousands left homeless.

"The earthquake in Gyumri continues," said city council member Levon Barseghian. "For 25 years, we are living over and over again what happened within 41 seconds."

A stagnant economy, combined with failed governmental promises, has hindered the ability of many to rebuild their lives. The city has lost nearly half of its population since 1988. Labor migration is the main reason why, locals say.

Today, Gyumri includes new buildings and residential districts, along with a Russian military base. Yet, the Shirak Region, of which Gyumri is the capital, has the country's highest poverty rate at 46 %, a rate that exceeds that in other regions by at least 11 %, according to official statistics.


http://eurasianet.org/node/67839
December 6, 2013



Little remains of a five-story communications building in Spitak.



Parts of a beet refinery northwest of Spitak remain standing, but the building was mostly destroyed.


More pics @ eurasianet.org