Moment of Silence in Parliament for Spitak Earthquake Victims

The Armenian Parliament observed a moment of silence to honor the memory of the victims of the Spitak earthquake that struck on December 7, 1988.

It is noteworthy that on December 7, 1988, at 11:41 AM local time, Armenia was shaken by a devastating earthquake in Spitak. Within seconds, the cities of Spitak, Gyumri, Vanadzor, and Stepanavan, along with over a hundred villages and settlements in the regions of Spitak, Akhuryan, Gugark, Aragats, Kalinino, and Stepanavan, were either completely or partially destroyed.

According to official reports, more than 25,000 people lost their lives in the earthquake, 19,000 were left disabled, and 530,000 residents were rendered homeless. The majority of casualties occurred in Gyumri, with approximately 15-17,000 deaths, and 4,000 in Spitak.

The earthquake completely devastated the city of Spitak. Along with Spitak and nearby villages, the natural disaster destroyed 21 towns and districts, rendering 80% of the housing, social, and industrial infrastructure in Armenia's second city, Leninakan (now Gyumri), in ruins.

Armenia continues to cope with the aftermath of the catastrophic earthquake to this day. Every year on this date, millions of Armenians in the Republic and the Diaspora pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Spitak earthquake.

Since 2019, December 7 has been commemorated in Armenia as the Day of Remembrance for Earthquake Victims and Resilience Against Disasters.