The French government in cooperation with partner organizations will provide 7 million euros to meet the social needs of the refugees from Nagorno-Karabakh, French Ambassador to Armenia Olivier Decottignies announced during a meeting Tuesday with Armenian Labor and Social Affairs Minister Narek Mkrtchyan.
The press service of the ministry reported that Mkrtchyan commended France for its role in supporting Armenia in difficult situations.
According to the Ambassador, the French government is also preparing to send an airplane with medicines and equipment to Armenia to provide first aid to the people who got serious injuries during the explosion at a fuel depot in Nagorno-Karabakh.
The blast occurred as people lined up to fill up their cars at a petrol station outside the regional capital Stepanakert late Monday.
Nagorno-Karabakh Human Rights Ombudsman Gegham Stepanyan said Tuesday night that 68 people were killed, another 290 were injured and 105 were reported missing.
According to Stepanyan, 21 bodies have been identified. The 168 injured were taken to Armenian hospitals by ambulances and helicopters.
The cause of the explosion remains unclear, but according to some reports from Stepanakert, it was caused by carelessness.
The Armenian government said late on Tuesday that more than 28,000 people have fled across the border since Azerbaijan's swift military operation to fully reclaim Nagorno-Karabakh, ARKA reports.
