A. Situation analysis
Description of the disaster
On 24 June 2016, as a result of heavy hailstorm and rains, an unprecedented landslide seriously damaged Karchaghbyur village of Gegharqunik region and Artik city of Shirak region with homes, public buildings, streets and bridges as well as agricultural lands were seriously affected.
Karchakhbyur village is located 30 km away from the border with Azerbaijan in a remote and isolated area of Gegharqunik region, which is one of the poorest regions in Armenia. The total population of the village is 2,518 people with 752 households. People in the village are mainly involved in potato growing and cattle breeding. The streets are in a poor condition, which causes problems for any type of activity within the village. According to the information provided by the local authorities, there were around 140 affected households in this village where mainly homes and agricultural lands (arable lands, hayfields, pastures, and sawn areas) and livestock were seriously affected. Moreover, the ground floor of the village school was also flooded and needed significant repairs.
Artik city is located in Shirak region which is also one of the poor regions in Armenia. There are quarries around the city, and many of them have been operating since the Soviet times. On 24 June, as a result of hailstorm and heavy rains, the water from the hills flooded the city bringing down stones from a canyon to the residential area. The flow was so high that the walls of the sewage canals broke and the water spilled into different directions covering many parts of the city.
Moreover, as a result of lightening, the electricity was cut off causing difficulties to response activities. Approximately 12,000 m3 of stone appeared in the yards and streets of the city as well as inside of the houses making cleaning impossible without special machinery involvement. This also resulted in a cut-off of water supply. Gas supply was immediately shut down by the relevant service provider to avoid secondary disasters.
