Seismic Service of Armenia is not ready to predict earthquakes

The Seismic Service of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Armenia is still far from being able to predict earthquakes, geophysicist, Doctor of Geology and head of the Garni Geophysical Observatory, Leonid Hakhverdyan, said on Thursday, RIA Novosti reports.

He noted that the world has had very few cases where it was possible to predict earthquakes in time to take appropriate action.

"Armenia has great opportunities for earthquake prediction, because of the location of the lesions known to seismologists. However, predicting earthquakes isn't enough, we must design earthquake-resistant buildings," Hakhverdyan said.
He categorically opposed the construction of tall buildings, regardless of whether they are quality-built or not. "History has shown that even the most earthquake-resistant buildings can be destroyed by an earthquake. Armenia should have maximum of three- or four-storey buildings, as the entire country is earthquake-prone," Hakhverdyan said.