At least 17 Killed In Georgia Landslide

By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News

TBILISI (Worthy News) – The death toll from a landslide hitting a resort area in the mountains of Georgia has risen to 17, the country’s Interior Ministry confirmed Sunday, and there were fears rescuers would find more bodies.

The ministry told the media that rescuers discovered the 17 victims. Yet more than 200 people were transported to safety during the ongoing rescue operation, authorities said.

The landslide hit the Shovi area on Thursday about 137 kilometers (85 miles) northwest of the capital Tbilisi, a region popular for its mineral springs and rugged mountain vistas and contains cottages or small hotels.

The head of the Georgian Internal Affairs Ministry’s Emergency Management Service, Temur Mgebrishvili, said that beyond the death of 17 people some 18 people were still unaccounted for.

Georgian authorities added that, of the dead, they had only been able to identify seven people, and that DNA analysis would determine the identity of the other victims.

Officials said the landslide was triggered by heavy rainfall, aggravated by recent erosion in the area.

It came as a setback for Georgia which seeks tourism revenues to help overcome its economically troubled Communist past when it was part of the then Soviet Union.

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