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The earthquake measured
6.9 on the Richter scale |
1988: Death toll rises in Armenian
earthquake |
England have
Up to 45,000 people have died and a further 500,000 are homeless after
the devastating earthquake which ripped through Armenia, official figures
revealed today.
Rescue work is currently still concentrating on finding any survivors,
but hope is waning in Armenia which borders Turkey and Azerbaijan.
The Soviet Union declared today a national day of mourning as the death
toll rose and President Gorbachev toured the cities devastated by the
earthquake.
It measured 6.9 on the Richter scale and affected an area 80 kilometres
in diameter.
Spitak, a town of 25,000 inhabitants, has been completely destroyed and
cannot be rebuilt - a new city will have to be built over the wreckage.
The city of Leninakan, with 290,000 inhabitants, and the towns of
Stepanavan and Kirovakan in the northern area of Armenia, were also hit by
the earthquake.
It struck three days ago at 1141 local time when children were at
school and most people at work.
With most of Armenia covered in high-rise buildings the consequences
have been devastating.
The scale of the destruction has brought criticism the infrastructure
was substandard, prompting Soviet authorities to pledge Spitak will be
rebuilt with blocks no more than five storeys high.
The disaster has led to an unprecedented level of openness by the
Soviet authorities as they struggle to cope with the disaster.
The Soviet Union has made an appeal for medical aid requesting in
particular blood transfusion equipment and dialysis machines.
America is sending medical aid and sniffer dogs capable of detecting
survivors.
Dogs sent by France alerted aid workers to 60 people buried alive under
the rubble yesterday.
India has sent clothes and blankets while Britain is transporting
excavating equipment
Five tonnes of clothes have already been collected by Aid Armenia based
in Britain.