A powerful tornado ripped through the Armenian town of Aparan on the afternoon of Sunday, June 15, 2025, injuring five people and leaving widespread destruction in its wake. The rare and violent storm tore through residential and administrative areas, causing structural damage and triggering major utility outages.
Strong winds, heavy rain, and hail caused roof tiles to tear off in the city of Aparan, Aragatsotn region. pic.twitter.com/LS62IsxA3i
— Alphanews Armenian Network (@AlphaNewsAM) June 16, 2025
Destruction Across Town Infrastructure
The tornado damaged 20 apartment blocks, 90 houses, and 24 government buildings. Among the hardest hit were Aparan’s public institutions — two schools, the municipal office, police station, prosecutor’s office, community hall, and a local bank all suffered partial roof collapse or other structural harm.
Around 100 trees were uprooted and 70 electric poles knocked down, causing prolonged power and gas outages across the town. The Armenian Interior Ministry responded quickly, deploying 200 rescue workers to assist with debris removal and emergency support.
By Monday afternoon, June 16, some areas of the town still remained without power. While local officials began repairs to damaged buildings, many residents took to fixing their homes independently.
Emergency Measures and Regional Impact
Electricity and gas were shut off as a safety precaution during ongoing rescue efforts led by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and regional personnel from Aragatsotn Province.
Meanwhile, nearby Shirak Province experienced its own extreme weather challenges. Hailstorms swept through more than a dozen villages, devastating crops and farmland. In Voskehask, a farmer reported total crop failure across his 25 hectares (62 acres), saying he had invested 7 million drams (about $18,000 USD) into the season’s wheat and barley.
Another local farmer in Shirak stated that 99% of his 100 hectares (247 acres) of crops had been destroyed. Regional governor Davit Arushanian confirmed that local authorities have begun assessing the full extent of the agricultural losses.
Tornado Ratings: Science or Symbol?
While tornadoes are rare in Armenia, this one clearly exhibited destructive power. The storm’s classification has not yet been released by local meteorological services, but the scope of damage points to a strong tornado event. This raises questions about whether Armenia’s current weather monitoring systems are equipped to classify and respond to such severe convective storms — an increasingly relevant concern as climate patterns continue shifting across the Caucasus region.
