Illustration for the 1988 Armenian earthquake. Spitak: a quarter of a century after the disaster

A series of tremors in 30 seconds practically destroyed the city of Spitak and caused severe destruction to the cities of Leninakan (now Gyumri), Kirovakan (now Vanadzor) and Stepanavan. In total, 21 cities were affected by the disaster, as well as 350 villages (of which 58 were completely destroyed).

In the epicenter of the earthquake - the city of Spitak - its strength reached 10 points (on a 12-point scale), in Leninakan - 9 points, Kirovakan - 8 points.

The 6-magnitude earthquake zone covered a significant part of the territory of the republic; tremors were felt in Yerevan and Tbilisi.

The catastrophic consequences of the Spitak earthquake were due to a number of reasons: underestimation of the seismic danger of the region, imperfect regulatory documents on earthquake-resistant construction, insufficient preparedness of rescue services, slowness of medical care, and low quality of construction.

The commission to eliminate the consequences of the tragedy was headed by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the USSR Nikolai Ryzhkov.

In the first hours after the disaster, units of the USSR Armed Forces, as well as the Border Troops of the KGB of the USSR, came to the aid of the victims. On the same day, a team of 98 highly qualified doctors and military field surgeons, led by USSR Minister of Health Yevgeny Chazov, flew from Moscow to Armenia on the same day.

On December 10, 1988, after interrupting his official visit to the United States, Mikhail Gorbachev, General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee, Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, flew to Leninakan with his wife. He got acquainted with the progress of the ongoing rescue and restoration work on the spot. At a meeting with the heads of Union ministries and departments, priority tasks for providing the necessary assistance to Armenia were discussed.

In just a few days, 50 thousand tents and 200 field kitchens were deployed in the republic.

In total, in addition to volunteers, more than 20 thousand soldiers and officers took part in the rescue operations; more than three thousand units of military equipment were used to clear the rubble. The collection of humanitarian aid was actively carried out throughout the country.

The tragedy of Armenia shocked the whole world. Doctors and rescuers from France, Switzerland, Great Britain, Germany, and the USA arrived in the affected republic. Planes carrying medicines, donated blood, medical equipment, clothing and food from Italy, Japan, China and other countries landed at the airports of Yerevan and Leninakan. Humanitarian assistance was provided by 111 states from all continents.

All material, financial and labor capabilities of the USSR were mobilized for restoration work. 45 thousand builders from all Union republics arrived. After the collapse of the USSR, the restoration program was suspended.

The tragic events gave impetus to the creation in Armenia and other republics of the USSR of a qualified and extensive system for preventing and eliminating the consequences of various emergency situations. In 1989, the State Commission of the USSR Council of Ministers for Emergency Situations was formed, and after 1991, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations.

In memory of the Spitak earthquake on December 7, 1989, the USSR issued a commemorative coin of 3 rubles, dedicated to the people's assistance to Armenia in connection with the earthquake.

On December 7, 2008, a monument dedicated to the tragic events of 1988 was unveiled in the center of Gyumri. Cast using collected public funds, it is called “For Innocent Victims, Merciful Hearts.”

The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources

This terrible earthquake began on December 7, 1988 at 11 o'clock in the afternoon. Seismic stations in Armenia and other nearby countries recorded several earthquakes of destructive force. Without having time to realize what was happening, the Armenian capital lost telephone contact with Spitak, Leninakan and other cities and towns of the republic. In an instant, almost the entire northern part of Armenia fell silent - 40% of the entire country with a million population.

But 7 minutes after the earthquake, a military radio station unexpectedly appeared on the air, thanks to which junior sergeant Ksenofontov Alexander said in plain text that the population of Leninakan urgently needed medical assistance, since the city had suffered great destruction, as a result of which there were too many wounded and dead. It sounded like a terrible SOS signal!

As during the Chernobyl disaster, the authorities remained silent for a long time. They, as always, pretended that they were trying to comprehend what was happening and take the right measures, and, realizing the scale of the disaster, did not want to realize their helplessness. And the trouble at this time did not wait for them to comprehend: at this time it was necessary to provide assistance to the victims as quickly as possible, clear the rubble and save barely alive people.

In addition, it was winter outside, and thousands of people were left without shelter, clothing, water and food. And just imagine that only towards the evening the radio announced with a meager message that an earthquake had occurred in Armenia in the morning. Why meager? Because it did not say a word about the scale of the disaster, nor about the approximate number of dead and wounded.

But it should still be recognized that the plane, along with surgeons and medicines on board, took off on the same day from Vnukovo airport. Having boarded a helicopter in Yerevan, the brigade was already in Leninakan by evening. Those who arrived were able to fully appreciate and understand the scale of the disaster only in the morning, when the first rays of the sun ran over the ruins and bodies of the dead. Everything was plowed up and broken, as if someone with their huge hand was trying to mix the city with the earth. Leninakan was no longer there - instead there were ruins and corpses.

Nearby villages and small towns were also damaged by the earthquake. Everywhere one could see only piles of rubble and walls with empty window sockets. It was only the day after the 1988 earthquake in Armenia destroyed part of the country that helicopters and planes began to arrive with essential supplies. The wounded were taken from Leninakan and sent to Yerevan hospitals.

Then a lot of people came to the aid of Armenia: about 50 thousand builders and several dozen doctors arrived. In that terrible month, the media did not provide data on the number of victims in Armenia. And only 3 months later, the Council of Ministers provided journalists with official statistics, which stated that the earthquake that occurred in Armenia in 1988 destroyed 21 cities, 350 villages, among which 58 were completely destroyed and became uninhabitable. More than 250 thousand people were killed and the same number of wounded. More than 17% of the country's total housing stock was destroyed: of these, 280 schools, 250 hospitals, several hundred preschool institutions and 200 enterprises were unusable. In the end, 500 thousand people were left homeless.

It should be said that she did not remain aloof from the tragedy and was famous throughout the world for her charity. She periodically brought clothes and medicines necessary to save people caught in this terrible disaster.

But the fraternal restoration of Armenia was negatively affected by the collapse of the Soviet Union, as a result of which construction gradually began to subside. As a result, the once flourishing region of Armenia turned into a desert zone: hundreds of thousands of residents left those places, leaving ruins and bitter memories in their native “homes”.

The earthquake in Armenia reminded of itself with its ruins for another ten years, and even now the country has not fully recovered from the consequences of the tragedy. After all, about 18 thousand people still live in wooden temporary huts, having completely lost faith that the government has not forgotten about them.

On December 1, 2016, the premiere of a new film based on real events took place in Russia. The 1988 earthquake in Armenia lasted only 30 seconds, but caused severe destruction throughout almost the entire country. At the epicenter - Spitak - its power reached 10 on the Richter scale.

“Ten Hiroshimas”

Specialists investigating the disaster found that during the Spitak earthquake of 1988, in the area of ​​the rupture of the earth's crust, energy was released equal to the explosion of 10 (!) atomic bombs simultaneously. Echoes of the disaster spread throughout the planet: scientists recorded the wave in laboratories in Asia, Europe, America and even Australia.

In just half a minute, the prosperous republic of the USSR turned into ruins - 40% of the country's industrial potential was destroyed, and hundreds of thousands of people were left homeless.

How it was

It is impossible to listen to the stories of eyewitnesses of the 1988 earthquake in Armenia without shuddering. It all happened on Monday, the first day of the work week. The first shock occurred on December 7 at 11:41. Survivors of the terrible disaster say that in the first moment, from the strong movement, high-rise buildings literally jumped into the air, and then collapsed like a house of cards, burying everyone who was inside under their rubble.

Those who were caught on the street by the earthquake were a little luckier, but it was almost impossible to stand. People fled in panic to the nearest squares and parks in the hope of not getting caught in the rubble.

After a long 30 seconds, the roar gave way to deafening silence, and a huge cloud of dust hung over the ruins. But the worst thing was just beginning...

Waiting for help

Although most often the USSR government kept silent about disasters, in 1988 the earthquake in Armenia was discussed all over the news. Rumors spread quickly - and this is not surprising, because at one moment half of the republic was destroyed.

Mobile phones and the Internet did not exist. The victims tried to recover. Some people rushed home to save loved ones, but it was almost impossible to pull survivors out from under the rubble without professional rescuers.

Unfortunately, help did not come immediately. Everything needed to be prepared. In addition, the infrastructure was practically destroyed. And when the earthquake was reported on television, thousands of people rushed to Armenia to help. Many rescuers simply could not get there, as all the roads were clogged.

The worst thing happened to those who, during the 1988 earthquake, found themselves under the rubble of their own home. The whole world knows the story of Emma Hakobyan and her daughter Mariam. The woman miraculously survived. She and her baby spent seven whole days under the rubble of the building. At first she breastfed the child, and when the milk ran out, she pricked her finger and gave her own blood. It took rescuers a full 6 hours to rescue Emma and Mariam. However, most stories ended much more tragically - most people never received help.

Rescue work

Units of the USSR Armed Forces and the KGB Border Troops were sent to the scene of the incident. A team of 98 highly qualified doctors and field surgeons was urgently formed in Moscow and sent by air. The Minister of Health himself, Evgeniy Chazov, took part in the operation.

Having learned about the earthquake in Armenia, he interrupted his official visit to the United States and flew to the scene of the tragedy to personally monitor the progress of rescue work.

Tent cities and field kitchens were built throughout the republic, where victims could find warmth and food.

Rescuers had to work in conditions of terrible cold and human panic. During these terrible days, people were ready to fight for cranes in order to lift heavy slabs and save their loved ones. Mountains of bodies accumulated near the ruins of high-rise buildings, and the smell of decay was felt.

More than 100 countries from all continents sent humanitarian aid to Armenia. To revive the infrastructure, more than 45 thousand builders were called from all over the USSR. True, after the collapse of the Union, work stopped.

One grief for all

Almost every resident of the country in those difficult weeks considered it their duty to at least somehow help Armenia. Without any orders from above, students lined up to donate blood. People emptied their pantries and basements to donate canned goods, cereals and other rainy day items to victims of the 1988 earthquake, even as store shelves were empty.

The scale of the disaster

Spitak, the city that became the epicenter of the terrible earthquake of 1988, was almost instantly destroyed, along with 350 thousand inhabitants. Enormous destruction befell Leninakan (now Gyumri - Ed.), Kirovakan and Stepanavan. In total, 21 cities and 350 villages were affected by the disaster. According to official data alone, the disaster claimed the lives of more than 25,000 people.

“Blank spots” in the history of the 1988 earthquake

For modern scientists, the main question remains: why were there so many victims during the earthquake in Armenia on December 7, 1988? After all, a year later, an earthquake occurred in California, almost identical in strength, but 65 people died in the United States - the difference is enormous.

The main reason is that during construction and design the seismic hazard of the region as a whole was underestimated. Many years of violation of building codes and savings on materials and technologies only “added” fuel to the fire.

However, there are still adherents of alternative versions - for example, some argue that the 1988 earthquake did not occur naturally, but as a result of a secret underground test of hydrogen bombs by the authorities. How it really happened is anyone's guess. One can only offer sincere condolences to those whose lives of parents and loved ones were claimed by one of the largest disasters of the 20th century.

The film “Earthquake” will be released in December. Sarik Andreasyan, dedicated to the tragic events in Armenia. 28 years ago, almost half of the country’s territory was damaged by a powerful natural disaster; thousands of people died, trapped in stone captivity of destroyed houses. Then this misfortune, without exaggeration, united the whole world. Help for the victims came not only from the Union republics, but also from other countries. It was a common grief, one for all.

Under the rubble

The main blow of the disaster fell on the city of Spitak, which was at the epicenter of the earthquake; Leninakan, Kirovakan, Stepanavan and about 300 other settlements were also affected. Eyewitnesses of those terrible events said that in the first seconds, from strong vertical shocks, the houses literally jumped into the air, and then folded into a reinforced concrete pile, burying everyone who was inside. Those who were on the street at that moment could hardly stand on their feet, the ground was shaking. In panic, many crowded into open squares and gardens, afraid of being buried alive under the ruins of houses. After 30 seconds, the roar of collapsing buildings gave way to silence, and a huge cloud of dust hung in the air.

When the tremors ended, some could not recover from the shock, others hurried home, hoping to find family and friends. But it was not possible to free people from the rubble on our own. The help of professional rescuers was needed. Alas, it did not come immediately, because the infrastructure of the republic was also badly damaged. And when the incident was announced on television, a huge number of people rushed to Armenia not only to help, but also to profit from the misfortune of others. As a result, all the roads were clogged, which only made the situation worse. The civil defense regiments could not get through to the scene of the tragedy.

City streets. Photo: RIA Novosti / Igor Mikhalev

It was hardest of all for those who were trapped in the stone captivity of their own houses. Some people remained completely immobilized under the rubble for several days. They didn't know what had happened or whether help would come. History Emma Hakobyan and her three month old daughter Mariam the whole world knows. The woman and her child spent seven long days under the ruins of their house and only miraculously survived. At first she breastfed her daughter, but when the milk disappeared, she pricked her finger and the mother’s blood began to flow. It took 6 hours for Emma to be rescued from the rubble. But this story with a happy ending is rather an exception to the rule; in most cases, people died without receiving help.

Mass graves of earthquake victims. Leninakan, 1988. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

One grief for all

While most people were overwhelmed with grief and mourned the dead, the looters were in a hurry to get rich. They robbed savings banks and stores, and without a twinge of conscience took other people's things for themselves. They did not disdain anything: they tore out earrings directly from the ears of the dead, and cut off fingers with rings. To stop this outrage, 20 thousand military personnel came to the aid of the victims.

Along with blatant cases of looting, there were also absolutely opposite stories. Thus, in Leninakan, relatives of the victims and victims were released from colonies and prisons to help excavate the rubble. They released 250 people - they returned a week later, only one escaped. He was soon detained.

Two days after the tragedy, I flew to Armenia General Secretary of the CPSU Central Committee Mikhail Gorbachev. The news of the earthquake caught him during an official visit to the United States. Gorbachev urgently returned to the Union; he arrived in Armenia with his wife. According to eyewitnesses, having seen the scale of the disaster, Raisa Maksimovna burst into tears.

Rescue work. Photo: RIA Novosti / Alexander Makarov

The first days were especially difficult for Armenia; the number of deaths was in the thousands. Elimination of the consequences of the earthquake was carried out not only by professionals, but also by many volunteers. These people worked for days, practically without sleep or rest, they lost their health, and sometimes they simply went crazy, unable to cope with their own emotions.

Assistance to the affected republic was provided not only by the entire Union, but also by many foreign countries. Doctors and rescuers from France, Switzerland, Great Britain, Germany, and America arrived in Armenia. More than 100 states provided humanitarian support. It seemed that the tragedy united the whole world. However, the collapse of the USSR disrupted plans to restore the destroyed cities.

New life

Almost immediately after the tragedy, an operation to restore them began in the affected settlements. 45 thousand builders from all Union republics went to disaster areas. Already on January 7, the first house was laid in Leninakan, and at the end of the year its new residents celebrated their housewarming.

Of course, it is reasonable to ask why the 1988 earthquake was so destructive and destroyed entire cities. The answer was simple: construction in the republic was carried out in violation of technology, and the quality of the materials used was very low. It is for this reason that the disaster left over five hundred thousand people without a roof over their heads in a matter of seconds.

Housing restoration in Leninakan, 1989. Photo: www.globallookpress.com

The earthquake in Armenia became a kind of impetus for the emergence of a system for preventing and eliminating the consequences of various emergencies in the republics of the USSR. Previously, there was not even a basic plan of action in extreme conditions. Many leaders gave orders intuitively, for example, Head of the Leninakan Internal Affairs Directorate Levan Galastyan at my own peril and risk I ordered to completely shut off the gas. Subsequently, it became clear that if he had not cut off the gas without permission, the city would have burned, and the number of victims would have increased significantly.

Alas, a person often forgets what should never be forgotten. If in the first years after the tragedy, every December 7th the country mourned the victims, then over time everything faded away. Today, the new generation does not even know what happened back in 1988.

In 2016, the film “Earthquake” was released, telling about the events of the Spitak earthquake in Armenia in 1988. The city of Spitak was completely destroyed in half an hour, and along with it the settlements of Gyumri, Vanadzor, Stepanavan. This film tells directly about the city of Leninakan, which is now called Gyumri. We came here to see the remains of the ruins and talk with the locals who lived through this terrible time.

In the city center, everything was rebuilt a long time ago; the city hall stands on Vardanants Square.

And in the center of the square, the monument to Vardan Mamikonyan is the national hero of Armenia, the leader of the Armenian uprising against the Iranian Sassanids, who tried to impose the Zoroastrian religion.

When asked by locals in a cafe: “What to see here?”, everyone answered: “We have beautiful churches.” There are even two of them in this square.
Church of the Virgin Mary.

And the Amenaprkich Church, which is still being restored.

By the way, this is what it looked like after the earthquake.

But this is not entirely interesting to us. Having learned the direction of movement to the area where the devastation of those times remained, we went to look for the ruins.

To be honest, even without the earthquake the city is not in the best condition, although it is the second largest city in Armenia.

An electrician's nightmare

Little by little we reached that area, destroyed but never restored.

It feels like the earthquake here happened not 29 years ago, but yesterday.

The government set a period of 2 years for restoration, however, after 3 years the Soviet Union collapsed, and therefore the period was postponed. Actually, the consequences of the 1988 earthquake have not yet been eliminated. What is noteworthy is that the Union threw all its financial and labor forces into helping those affected by the disaster in Spitak: more than 45 thousand volunteers came from the republics. Tens of thousands of parcels from all over the Soviet Union arrived in the city and surrounding settlements as humanitarian aid.

During this earthquake, about 30,000 people died and more than 140,000 people were disabled.

And someone dropped everything and left.

Here you can see how one strong wall of the house was preserved, but a completely different wall was built on it from the remains of bricks.

This house just had a wall propped up

There are also beautiful buildings nearby.

This memorial square

There is a memorial sign installed here, but its meaning is almost impossible to understand.

And on the other side of the square is a new monument to “Innocent Victims, Merciful Hearts,” depicting a pile of people and concrete blocks.

The inscription on the stone slab nearby in Russian and Armenian reads:

“At 11:41 a.m. on December 7, on a foggy and gloomy December day in 1988, the mountains trembled and the earth shook with great force.

Cities, villages, schools, kindergartens and industrial enterprises were instantly destroyed. More than a million people were left homeless.

In this tragic hour, 25 thousand people died, 140 thousand became disabled, 16 thousand were rescued from the rubble.

And the living looked for their loved ones among those buried under the ruins.

And the children called their parents, and the parents called their children.

And thousands with merciful hearts were with them in this grief.

And all the republics of the USSR and many countries of the world extended a helping hand to the Armenian people.

The people's grief for the innocent victims of the Spitak earthquake is deep.

May God rest their souls.

Eternal memory to them!”

Along the square there are tombstones for the dead.

In front of the church you can see a fallen dome.

One of the interesting acquaintances happened at a gas station on the way out of the city towards Yerevan. I was surprised by the very strange method: when refueling, they counted not liters, but kilograms of gas. First, the guy filled the bottle, which stood on the scale, then poured it from the bottle into the car. This whole procedure took about half an hour. During this time, we managed to communicate with him about the earthquake. At this time he was about 10 years old, but he remembers these events perfectly like a bad dream. Then he told how many people from the fraternal republics came and helped rebuild the city, and then they were given a new apartment. He spoke with great warmth about the USSR and was very sorry that this country no longer existed.