Five injured as damaging tornado rips through Aparan, Armenia

A damaging tornado struck the town of Aparan on Sunday afternoon, June 15, 2025, injuring five people and causing significant destruction in the area.

Reports indicate that 20 apartment blocks, 90 houses, and 24 administrative buildings were damaged by the tornado. It also uprooted 100 trees, toppled 70 electric poles, leading to widespread power outages.

The tornado partially destroyed the roofs of two Public Schools, the community hall, and key buildings such as the municipal office, the police station, the local prosecutor’s office, and the ACBA Bank branch.

The Armenian Interior Ministry deployed 200 rescue workers to assist with cleanup efforts, while power outages persisted into Monday afternoon, June 16.

The municipal administration in Aparan began repairing blown-off roofs, while some residents undertook repairs independently.

Electricity and gas supply were cut off for safety reasons, while rescue teams from the Ministry worked in the area, along with personnel from the Aragatsotn regional administration.

In Shirak province, adjacent to Aparan, hailstorms devastated agricultural fields across more than a dozen villages. In Voskehask, a farmer reported a complete loss of crops on his 25 ha (62 acres) of land.

He invested 7 million drams ($18 000) in wheat, barley, and other crops, expecting no harvest this year. Another farmer reported 99% crop damage on his 100 ha (247 acres) of land.

The governor of Shirak, Davit Arushanian, said that local authorities have already begun calculating the damage caused by the natural disaster.

References:

¹ Armenian Communities Hit By Powerful Storm – Azatutyun.am – June 16, 2025

Featured image credit: Karen Yeghiazaryan Alliance

Reet Kaur

I’m a science journalist and researcher at The Watchers, contributing to the Epicenter edition, where I cover peer-reviewed scientific research and emerging discoveries across Earth and space sciences. With a background in astronomy and a passion for environmental science, I’ve worked in shark and coral conservation in Fiji, conducting reef and shark-behavior research, contributing to mangrove restoration, and earning PADI Open Water and Coral Reef Certifications. I bring a blend of scientific rigor and storytelling to illuminate the discoveries shaping our planet and beyond.

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