Georgian Patriarch expresses sorrow for people killed, missing in landslide in country’s west
Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia’s Orthodox Church on Friday sent his messages of condolence for those killed in a landslide that hit western Georgia’s Shovi resort on Thursday, and shared sympathies for those still missing following the disaster. Photo: Patriarchate of Georgia
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Ilia II, the Catholicos Patriarch of Georgia’s Orthodox Church on Friday sent his messages of condolence for those killed in a landslide that hit western Georgia’s Shovi resort on Thursday, and shared sympathies for those still missing following the disaster.
Our citizens and we are watching with concern the events that occurred as a result of the natural disaster that happened in Racha [region] yesterday, and naturally, first of all, we are deeply saddened for the dead and the missing people”, the Georgian Patriarch said.
“Of course, believers have been praying since yesterday, but the condition of dozens of people is still unclear. [...] May God bless Georgia and all its inhabitants”, he noted.
The Georgian Patriarch also called on parishioners to pray for those affected in the disaster.
Irakli Karseladze, the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, on Friday said rescuers were searching for about 35 missing people, after 210 were evacuated from the area earlier.
The Georgian Ministry of Interior has so far confirmed six deaths in the disaster.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday left for the area in western Georgia’s Shovi resort hit by a landslide on Thursday, the Government Administration said.
Merab Gamkrelidze, the Deputy Head of Regional Development Department of the Government Administration, late on Thursday said the rescuers, working in the disaster area in Georgia’s western Shovi resort, after a landslide hit the area earlier during the day, were currently searching for about 50 missing people, including children.
The ongoing rescue measures in the disaster area in the country’s western Oni municipality, after a landslide hit the area earlier during the day, were discussed at the emergency meeting in the Oni municipality City Hall, the Interior Ministry said on Thursday.
The Georgian Interior Ministry on Thursday said about 70 individuals had been transferred to a safe venue from the disaster area as a result of the ongoing rescue operations in the country’s western Oni municipality, after a landslide hit the area earlier during the day.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said his Government had decided to declare Monday as a day of mourning following a landslide that hit western Georgia’s Shovi resort, killing at least seven people on Thursday.
Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili on Friday called on the public to “unite and overcome the tragedy together”, following a landslide that hit western Georgia’s Shovi resort on Thursday and killed at least 11 people.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili on Friday said units from the Georgian Defence Forces would join the ongoing search and rescue operations in the western municipality of Oni to find remaining survivors after a landslide killed at least 11 in the Shovi resort on Thursday.
Diplomats accredited in Georgia on Friday sent their condolences to families of the victims killed in a landslide that hit western Georgia’s Shovi resort on Thursday.
Georgian Defence Forces on Friday said its units had departed to join the ongoing search and rescue operations in the western municipality of Oni to find remaining survivors after a landslide killed at least 11 in the Shovi resort on Thursday.