According to official statements and local news reports on Friday, in the mountainous resort area of Shovi, Georgia, a catastrophic landslide has claimed at least eleven lives and left over 30 individuals missing. Shovi, a popular tourist destination approximately 85 miles northwest of the capital city, Tbilisi, is known for its mineral springs, rugged mountain scenery, and various quaint cottages and small hotels.
On Friday, Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili visited the disaster-stricken region, confirming the death toll at seven. Local media outlets, citing official sources, reported that approximately 35 individuals are still missing in the aftermath of the landslide.
The Shovi region, a former Soviet Republic, has recently been in the spotlight due to the ruling party’s reaction to widespread street protests as the nation seeks to forge closer ties with the European Union.
Officials have attributed the landslide to heavy rainfall, further worsened by recent erosion in the area. The resort town of Shovi was hit by floods and landslides, causing widespread fear among its inhabitants and tourists.