TBILISI: At least seven people were killed and more than 30 others are missing in a devastating landslide incident in the Racha region of Georgia, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili’s said here on Friday.
Rescue efforts have been underway since the disaster struck, with teams on the scene working tirelessly to locate survivors and retrieve victims. The gravity of the situation prompted the prime minister to call in the army to aid in the search operations.
As of now, the search teams have recovered seven bodies from the debris, but the search for survivors remains ongoing. Authorities are hopeful that they can find some of the missing individuals alive, but the situation remains precarious.
140 People Evacuated from Georgia Landslide
The interior ministry disclosed that 140 people have been successfully evacuated from the affected area. The rescue operations have involved the use of two helicopters and specially trained rescue dogs, who are working diligently to locate any signs of life amidst the wreckage.
The landslide occurred on Thursday in Shovi, a quaint resort area in Georgia’s mountainous northwest, celebrated for its expansive forests and natural springs. Merab Gaprindashvili, a geologist from Georgia’s National Environmental Agency, explained that the landslide resulted from a combination of factors, including the intense melting of two glaciers in the headwaters of the river, coupled with heavy rainfall. However, he asserted that such a catastrophic event is unlikely to happen again.
Georgia is no stranger to heavy rains and flooding, and the country’s steep terrain makes it susceptible to landslides. In 2008, a similar disaster in the southern Black Sea region of Adjara claimed the lives of six people.
As rescue workers continue to sift through the debris, hope and grief hang in the air, awaiting any news of survivors and a better understanding of the full extent of the tragedy that has struck Georgia’s picturesque Racha region.
