Hrachya Papinyan: People do not believe that the rain caused flooding, an investigation should be conducted

Speaking with Alpha News, Hrachya Papinyan, the director of the Ankyun+3 TV company, commented on a post from the Lori governor’s office on Facebook, which warned of possible floods in Debed and Dzoraget in April 2024.

The post, in particular, mentioned that due to interruptions in the operation of the Dzoraget Hydroelectric Power Station, a shutdown of the station is possible in the near future, which, in turn, could lead to water leaks from the station’s reservoir until August.

“This could lead to flooding of the Dzoraget and Debed rivers. To avoid danger, we urge you to exercise greater vigilance in coastal areas,” the governor’s office said in a statement.

Hrachya Papinyan believes that there is no need to look for sensation in the post, but nevertheless, it is necessary to start an investigation to understand the causes of the disaster.

“There is nothing sensational in this statement. Over the past 10–15 years, during spring and autumn rainstorms, the Ministry of Emergency Situations has always warned residents of the Debed River basin for safety reasons. But there is something unusual in the consideration that there may be some disruptions in Dzoraget; apparently, a dam was meant. Every year, every spring, such an announcement or warning should be released to warn residents of possible floods,” Papinyan said.

Our interlocutor gave the details of how the river overflowed in just a few minutes.

“Obviously, this flood was unprecedented, but it raised some doubts. People do not quite believe that this happened because of the rain; it is probably necessary to conduct a special investigation by journalists or relevant authorities. Eyewitnesses say that the water level in the river rose in just 10–15 minutes.

Today I talked with a cameraman from our TV company, who that day was filming in the Haghpat-Alaverdi area. The film crew was near the river, but the patrol did not allow them to move forward. They stood there for quite a long time, and then the water began to rise very quickly, so quickly that they had to turn the cars around to get out of the water. All these sudden events raise objective doubts,” Hrachya Papinyan concluded.