PM pledges to take “all measures” to accommodate, compensate victims of deadly landslide in Imereti region

Irakli Kobakhidze, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Georgia, on Saturday arrived in the disaster zone in the western municipality of Baghdati, following a deadly landslide in the village of Nergeeti and pledged to take “all measures” to provide necessary accommodation and compensation to the victims.

A great tragedy happened, we offer our condolences to the family members of the deceased”, Kobakhidze noted in his comments to the media, emphasising the necessity of providing “appropriate conditions” to “each person and family” affected by the disaster.

• Rescuers recover ninth body in Georgia’s west following landslide

"I had a conversation with representatives of the local government. They will do their best to provide for all these families and people [with accomodation]”, he added.

He got acquainted with the situation in the village and stressed that the elimination of the consequences of the disaster would be completed today.

Everything will be done in the future to ensure the prevention of such cases, as much as possible. [...] All measures will be taken to prevent any type of natural disaster, wherever possible”, the PM emphasised.

Answering the journalists’ questions about purchasing additional landslide warning systems, Kobakhidze stressed the importance of expanding both monitoring and warning systems.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia on Thursday said rescuers had recovered all bodies of victims in the western municipality of Baghdati in the Imereti region after the deadly landslide had hit the village of Nergeeti on Tuesday.

Abundant overnight rainfall in the region caused the landslide, which covered four residential houses under a land mass, with one survivor rescued, killing nine individuals.