MOSCOW, 6 Aug. The resort of Shovi in the highlands of Racha has completely disappeared after a landslide, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said. He was quoted by the Georgian Channel One.
“It can be said directly that Shovi no longer exists, it has been completely destroyed,” the mayor said.
Kaladze expressed his condolences to the families of those killed in the emergency, and also thanked the rescuers, employees Ministry of Internal Affairs and volunteers helping to eliminate the consequences of the cataclysm.
The landslide came down on Thursday afternoon near one of the hotels in the village of Shovi. The natural disaster washed away bridges, damaged roads, covered the cottages adjacent to the hotel. The evacuation of more than 200 citizens was carried out on border helicopters of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. More than 400 rescuers and military personnel are working at the site. The landslide led to the death of 17 people, among them one Russian woman.
The rescue operation in the disaster zone continues.