On Thursday, May 30, at a government meeting, Minister of Territorial Administration and Infrastructure Gnel Sanosyan reported that the M6 highway, connecting Armenia with Georgia, is damaged in 43 sections, with five sections completely destroyed.
The minister noted that the most significant damage occurred on the bridges of Sanahin, Akhtala, Ayrum, Karkop, Shnogh, and Bashtarak. As a result of the damage to the bridges in Akhtala and Karkop, seven settlements have been cut off from Alaverdi, and their supply routes now run through mountain roads.
Gnel Sanosyan also reported serious damage to the railway, with around 2 km of the railway track affected. The restoration of the railway will require considerable time.
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan emphasized the importance of assessing the damage in the flood-affected areas. "We need to evaluate the damage to the buildings. Visually, there seem to be no seismic problems, but it is important to examine whether these waters have caused any issues with the seismic stability of the buildings," he said.
Pashinyan also mentioned an agreement reached with Russian partners on the restoration of the railway, as the South Caucasus Railway has been the concessionaire of the Armenian railway since 2008. "Our Russian colleagues have promised that the railway will be restored as soon as possible, which is very important," the Prime Minister stressed.
