According to Sos Margaryan, Director of the Seismic Service of Armenia's Ministry of Internal Affairs, 45 percent of buildings in Yerevan are highly vulnerable to seismic activity. This information was shared during a press conference on August 14.
Margaryan emphasized that if the Yerevan fault were to become active, not only would buildings located in its immediate vicinity be at risk, but other areas would also be affected. He cited the Nor Nork district, which has a high concentration of apartment buildings, as an example.
The expert also noted that the situation might be even more serious than previously thought. He mentioned that approximately 5 percent of the buildings within the identified 45 percent could have undergone changes that increased their vulnerability. Additionally, some buildings previously considered to have low vulnerability may now fall into the high vulnerability category.
Margaryan highlighted the issue of housing construction in Armenia, stating that many buildings and structures were built with low seismic risk in mind. He also pointed out that Soviet-era buildings in Yerevan have lower seismic resistance than what is required under current conditions.
Yerevan is situated near two major seismic fault lines: one in the northwestern part of the city and the Garni fault, located close to the capital. According to Margaryan, the potential of the Yerevan fault is significantly lower than that of the Garni fault.
