Monday, 3 October 2011
PM Visits Landslide Zone At Vanadzor-Bagratashen Road Section
Accompanied by Minister of Emergency Situations Armen Yeritsyan and Minister of Transport and Communication Manuk Vardanyan, Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan visited the landslide site in 86th kilometer of Vanadzor-Bagratashen Road Section of M6 interstate highway. The head of government was briefed on the situation in the landslide zone and the course of search and rescue works.
The Prime Minister was informed that 7 out of 12 missing people have been identified. The remaining 5 are citizens of Georgia and Armenia.
Talking to journalists, the premier said that the best geologists of the country will soon start working at the site in order to find out the causes behind the landslide. “The landslide hit quite a large area with a third of the mountain next to the road having collapsed. The earthquake of a few days ago may have caused the disaster. A quick-response headquarters is up to coordinate the ongoing search and rescue efforts made by operative services, including police, medical services and rescue squads. Having the opinion of geologists is what matters most at this point of time.”
As to the amount of work to be done yet on the spot, Tigran Sargsyan noted: “After getting the geologists’ opinion concerning the construction of a new motorway we will have to invite our best experts to opt for the best possible strategy of construction.” The Prime Minister went on to stress that another issue of primary importance is to offer an alternative route bypassing the damaged site for the inhabitants of nearby villages.
Competent authorities were told to address the problems faced at the 3-kilometer-long road section so that motor traffic could be resumed as shortly as possible.
A landslide hit the road section at the 86th kilometer of М6 Vandzor-Bagratashen interstate highway close to Airum railway station (nearby Lchkadzor village) on October 2, 2011. About 60-meter-high and 130-meter-long portions of a hill fell onto the highway making it unfit for traffic. 35 motor vehicles were buried by the landslide.
Over 70 rescuers from different units of the Armenian Rescue Service, 20 army servicemen, 4 units of heavy military hardware, as well as a dozen ambulances were dispatched to scene. The site is under po0lice control.
