37 Years Since the Devastating Spitak Earthquake

Today is December 7, the day of remembrance for the victims of the 1988 Spitak earthquake. On this day, 37 years ago, at 11:41 AM, the earthquake claimed the lives of 25,000 people and left more than half a million homeless.

In a matter of seconds, the cities of Spitak, Leninakan, Kirovakan, Stepanavan, and more than a hundred villages in the Spitak, Akhuryan, Gugark, Aragats, Kalinino, and Stepanavan regions were completely or partially destroyed. The intensity at the epicenter was rated at 10 on the Richter scale. The area of destruction, where the intensity measured 8 or higher, covered a territory of 3,000 square kilometers.

Twenty-one cities and regions and 342 villages were affected. A total of 514,000 people were rendered homeless, and approximately 20,000 people sustained various degrees of injury, with 12,500 hospitalized and the death toll reaching 25,000. Many casualties occurred, especially in Gyumri (around 15,000 to 17,000) and Spitak (4,000).

Countries from around the world, more than 113 in total, along with 7 international organizations, provided comprehensive assistance to Armenia. Hundreds of rescuers and medical personnel arrived in the Republic, and all Soviet republics began sending medicines, medical equipment, construction machinery, tents, food supplies, and later contributing to reconstruction efforts in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake.