Landslide in Western Georgia Kills Four; Search for Five Others Ongoing

On 7 February, a landslide in the Georgian village of Nergeti has resulted in four fatalities, with search efforts still underway.

^{Image: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia}

(JAMnews) During the night of February 7, four residential buildings in the village of Nergeti, located in the Bagdati destrict of Georgia (Imereti region), were engulfed by a significant landslide. According to the ministry of internal affairs, four fatalities have been confirmed, with one local resident rescued and relocated to safety.

Search efforts are ongoing for five additional individuals, including minors.

Over 200 rescuers, along with units from the ministry of internal affairs, have been deployed to the site since the early hours of the morning. Temur Mgebrishvili, the head of emergency services, stated that 70% of the village’s area still requires clearance.

The ministry of internal affairs reported the mobilization of appropriate equipment, drones, and a team of dog handlers to aid in the search and rescue operations.

Georgian president Salome Zurabishvili expressed heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and shared words of deep sorrow.

“I hope that the other victims of the disaster, whom rescuers are striving to locate, will soon reunite with their families unharmed,” Salome Zurabishvili wrote on social media.