Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the importance of swiftly assessing the damage and providing aid to those affected by the floods in the Lori and Tavush regions. He made this statement during the government session on June 14.
"The only issue I raise is that we respond as quickly as possible," Pashinyan stated. "People need to be satisfied with the speed and efficiency of our actions so that dissatisfaction doesn't arise."
Pashinyan acknowledged that this process cannot be resolved with a single action but emphasized the importance of constant steps to ensure people do not feel forgotten. "It's important for us not to waste time. However, it's clear that any work will take some time," he said, adding that implementing solutions that ensure speed is crucial.
He also noted that there are objective data that cannot be changed, proposing the introduction of a standard formula for damage assessment according to flood intensity zones. "There's no need to visit every house to check if the water rose 60 or 70 cm. We need to zone quickly," Pashinyan stressed.
He also highlighted the importance of communicating this message to the public so that people understand what support the government will provide.
Earlier, BMG reported that the Armenian government declared a disaster zone in nine communities of the Tavush and Lori provinces following the devastating flood caused by heavy rains on May 25-26, 2024. These communities comprise 39 settlements with about 113,000 residents affected by the catastrophe.
Approximately 11 sections of the M4 interstate road have various damages, and the M6 road connecting Armenia to Georgia was damaged in 43 sections.
In the disaster zone, 24 bridges were also reported damaged, 16 of which are unusable. Some are small community bridges, while others are major bridges consisting of 6-7 spans that require complete replacement.
