Georgian people donate 4m GEL to Tbilisi flood victims

The generosity of the Georgian population has seen donations for Tbilisi flood victims soar to four million GEL.

In the first 24 hours since a charity fund launched the people of Georgia donated two million GEL. This doubled to four million GEL in a 48 hour period.

Official figures note more than 4.2 million GEL has been raised for disaster relief in state treasury and commercial bank accounts.

Georgia’s Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri said within this 4.2 million GEL fund, individuals and legal entities had donated 700,000 GEL, $31,000 USD and €1,000.

"By the Government’s decree, the state budget has allocated 10 million GEL from a regional fund, which has already been transferred to City Hall. This took place on Sunday,” said Khaduri.

"The Presidential Reserve Fund allocated 200,000 GEL [and] the Governmental Reserve Fund allocated 150,000 GEL to help the families of the victims. All affected families will receive this assistance [today],” Khaduri said.

The Minister has been actively working with donor organisations for the past two days to coordinate relief donations.

"We told Ambassadors and financial institutions that we mostly need financial assistance, since they had offered us intellectual and technical assistance as well,” he stated.

Georgia’s Prime Minister said the Government would review the damage and then present specific projects to donor organisations, which would then finance the recovery works. This assistance will be financial as well as with expert advice, technical support and reconstruction.

About 400 people from 80 families are affected and have been temporarily placed in 10 hotels and houses. These families have been provided with food, first aid items, medicines and children's products, said the Minister.

Meanwhile, the European Commission has allocated up to €3 million to Georgia.