PM Kvirikashvili says natural disaster in Georgia’s west is “very large-scale”

Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has travelled to western Georgia where heavy rains have caused major damage to roads and other infrastructure.

Kvirikashvili is today in the Imereti region, where several bridges were wiped out, roads were destroyed and hundreds of hectares of agricultural lands were flooded in yesterday’s downpour.

A road in Sulori village in western Georgia was damaged by the flood. Photo by PM's press office

It was a very large-scale disaster with quite severe results regarding infrastructural damage,” Kvirikashvili said.

Fortunately, there is no human casualty. As soon as the roads dry out, we will begin works to restore the damaged infrastructure.”

The PM met the local population in Sulori village in the Vani Mulicipality of the Imereti region and promised them an alternative road would be soon built to replace the bridge that was destroyed by the flood. He said the situation was improving today and would continue to get better in the coming days.

PM Kvirikashvili meets locals of Sulori village in western Georgia. Photo by PM's press office

Kvirikashvili said experts were evaluating the damage caused by the heavy rain and precise figures would be known shortly.

From Imereti, Kvirikashvili will travel to the Martvili municipality in the Samegrelo region, which was also affected by the bad weather.

Photo by the PM's press office.

A 18-year-old and lifeguard die in Samegreli

Earlier this morning the body of a lifeguard, who died while trying to save a young man, was found in Abashistskali River. The lifeguard has been identified as Elguja Jamrishvili. He died when he tried to rescue an 18-year-old boy three days ago. The boy also died and his body was found yesterday.

Georgia’s Agriculture Minister Otar Danelia was in Samegrelo today to assess the situation on site. Danelia said the damage to local infrastructure was very "serious”.

But the biggest tragedy is that these two people have died. Everything else will be restored but nothing can bring them back,” he said.

Heavy rains affected four regions: Adjara, Guria, Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Imereti, all in the country’s west.

Last night the country’s Prime Minister instructed Government representatives to visit each region affected by the natural disaster and learn more about the needs of locals.