“As of now, 13 of the 16 dead citizens have been identified. Those thirteen include a pregnant woman and a child. The number of missing people is 10,” said Hayk Kostanyan, spokesperson of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, in a conversation with journalists.
According to him, “There is a possibility that there are citizens in the given area, so we don’t use heavy equipment so as not to cause damage, mostly the work is carried out manually. We collect the debris in the area and move it out of the area.”
Hayk Kostanyan added that 100 rescuers are working in the area, together with them are representatives of the Red Cross and volunteers from VOMA. He emphasized that there is no need for additional forces.
“There was a risk of collapse from the first second, so we implemented certain actions from the point of view of security to ensure the safety of both the rescuers and the employees involved in the work. The booths of the Surmalu Shopping Center are closed. I have no information about when they will be opened,” said the spokesperson of the Ministry of Emergency Situations.
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“A day of mourning will be announced. It will be by the decision of the government. It is not clear yet when it will be announced,” he added, answering the journalists’ question. He also said that among the missing there is one citizen of the Islamic Republic of Iran and one citizen of the Russian Federation.
Gohar Hakobyan
