09:00, 24 April 2010

Georgia: Velistsikhe villagers are in panic because of flooding threat

At night on April 24, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA) and Rescuers' Service of Georgia undertook the second round of evacuation of Velistsikhe village residents from the Gurdzhaani District because of threat of breakthrough of the dam in the Cherem Lake.

This time, residents were evacuated from a small village called Khevisubani, governed by the Velistsikhe Village Council. The first round of evacuation was held at night on April 23.

Preventive actions in the context of the dam failure continue, but because of restart of heavy rains the works are often interrupted. Experts cannot predict precisely, when water can break the dam.

Law enforcers would not let journalists into the endangered zone under the pretext of threat to their lives. The whole area is cordoned by MIA agents.

In the meantime, residents of the villages from the Gurdzhaani District are in panic. People fear for their property, which can be destroyed in case the dam fails under the power of flood. One local woman died from heart rupture, another one was hospitalized with insult.

Author: Tamaz Imnaishvili

Source: CK correspondent