ArmeniaNow People in Yerevan appear increasingly concerned over the dusty air in the city observed since this morning.

Various speculations are already spreading in the city, with some fearing problems with the nuclear power plant in Metsamor, since the first signal was received from the Armavir region where the station is situated.

However, the Ministry of Environmental Protection has officially denied this version, adding that everything at the Metsamor nuclear station is normal.

“The wind from Arab countries has brought this dust. Such cases happen a few times during the year, which is connected with southeast winds,” Artsrun Pepanyan, head of the Ministry’s Public Relations Department, told ArmeniaNow.

(Meanwhile, a few drops of rain observed in some parts of the city colored cars in red or yellow, bringing to memory so-called “dirty rains” in Yerevan a few years ago, in particular in April 2006.)

Environmentalist Karine Danielyan added that the ministries of environmental protection and health have formed a joint monitoring group, which within 24 hours will provide its findings on the air pollution situation.

In the Armenian capital and surrounding areas people had been eagerly awaiting rain, which came shortly, but wasn’t enough to clear the air yet. People are hoping for a heavy rainfall to wash down the heavy dust.