More Significant Warming Has Occurred, Yet No Earthquake Took Place: Surenyan's Clarification

On December 7, 1988, it was very warm, with temperatures in Yerevan reaching +13 to +15 degrees Celsius, and around +8 to +10 degrees in Gyumri. This was stated by Gagik Surenyan, Deputy Director of the Hydro-Meteorological and Monitoring Center.

"This situation has fueled concerns that when the temperature rises sharply in winter, people think an earthquake will occur. However, scientific studies have shown that atmospheric phenomena are not related to geological events; it’s merely a coincidence. Since 1988, there have been much more significant warming events in December, but no earthquakes have been recorded,” Surenyan noted.

It is worth recalling that today marks December 7, the day of remembrance for the victims of the 1988 Spitak earthquake. Thirty-six years ago, at 11:41 AM, an earthquake claimed the lives of 25,000 people and left more than half a million homeless. The earthquake rendered around 40% of Armenia's industrial capacity incapacitated. The city of Spitak and 58 villages were completely destroyed, while Gyumri, Stepanavan, and Vanadzor, along with more than 300 settlements, were partially affected.

The aftermath of the disaster was so devastating that, for the first time since the end of World War II, the leader of the Soviet Union officially requested humanitarian assistance from the United States.