Damage due to natural disaster in Georgia could exceed tens of millions of lari

The damage caused by the disaster to the villages of the Lanchkhut and Ozurgeti districts of Guria in the west of Georgia, according to preliminary estimates, will exceed tens of millions of laris, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Archil Talakvadze said on Imedi TV, Report informs via Sputnik-Georgia.

"... The total damage, it will most likely exceed tens of millions of lari (1 lari = $0.38), and its final calculation will be made within a few days," he said.

According to the vice speaker, the authorities' first priority was to save people from the risk zone. The next step is to provide food, basic necessities and safe housing. All expenses will be covered from the reserve fund.

Due to heavy rainfall on the night of September 8, rivers overflowed their banks and landslides occurred in the villages of Lanchkhuti and Ozurgeti districts of Guria. Three people, including two teenagers, became victims of the natural disaster. A month earlier, a landslide in the mountain resort of Shovi in Racha killed 32 people.