Minister: flood damage ‘colossal’

YEREVAN, 29 May. /ARKA/. The damage caused by the flood in northeastern Armenia is colossal, and major efforts will be required, the country’s Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan said on Wednesday.

Various specialists will be sent to the settlements that suffered from the flood, he announced.

“We are in contact with those settlements, and their administrative officers are requesting help. Various specialists will go there within a day to evaluate the issues at hand and provide supplies,” Sanosyan said.

The Minister also added that around 200 volunteers are required to do all the necessary tasks.

“The amount of work that’s needed to be done gets bigger and bigger, we are trying to involve various partners to finish all the tasks as quickly as possible, but, unfortunately, the damages this flood caused are colossal,” Sanosyan noted.

The Minister announced that the M6 highway going north to Georgia has been repaired.

Supplies of food, drinking water, and other primary commodities were delivered to the settlements that remain cut off from the town of Alaverdi on Wednesday.

Heavy rains flooded Armenia’s northeastern provinces Lori and Tavush on 25 and 26 May, causing the Debed, Aghstev, and Tashir rivers to overflow their banks. As a result, portions of the railway and the freeway connecting Armenia with Georgia were destroyed. So far, the death toll stands at 4, and 443 individuals have been evacuated from the flooded area. A total of 300 million drams has been allocated for recovery efforts.