In December 1988, the city of Spitak in Northern Armenia was hit by a powerful earthquake, killing 25,000 people and injuring over 140,000. The tremor, registered as a 9.0 on the Richter scale, lasted for about 20 to 30 seconds with damage costing up to $43 billion in today’s valuation.
Martirosyan reports on the long-term psychological impact of the earthquake, predominantly presenting as depressive symptoms and trauma. The author comments on global efforts for recovery, amounting up to $5 million in aid, as well as improvements made to previously weak infrastructure across the city.