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What happened, where and when?
On 15 and 16 June, a significant disaster struck Gurjaani and Lentekhi municipalities in Georgia, as heavy rainfall, flooding, and hailstorms occurred. This calamity had widespread effects, impacting both urban and rural areas in Gurjaani and Lentekhi Municiplaities – Kakheti and Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti regions, respectively.
The heavy rainfall led to the flooding of the central streets in Gurjaani municipality, including the surrounding areas of the central agricultural market, resulting in severe difficulties in transportation and mobility. Additionally, sudden mudflows and landslides caused the destruction of roads, blockages from fallen trees, and damage to vital infrastructure like bridges and power transmission towers. Specifically, the flooding affected several areas in Gurjaani municipality, including Gurjaani, Chumlaki, Tchandari, Vejini, Dzirkoki, Kolagi, Bakurtsikhe, and Kodalo.
In Lentekhi, which is one of the highest mountainous populated areas in Georgia, the storms affected Chikhareshi, Jakhunderi, Nakisheri, Skhedi, Upper Shkedi, Akhalsheni, Panaga, and Lekosadeni villages. State infrastructure such as bridges, in-land roads, and power transmission towers were also damaged.
Therefore, as farming plots have been damaged by the hail, floods and storm, longer-term food security of the socially vulnerable households is expected to exacerbate. In addition, according to the data from the national statistics of Georgia, every fifth person residing in the rural area is under the poverty line. Already existing vulnerability of this segment will be further increased due to the disaster-induced negative effect on their livelihoods.
Rehabilitation and recovery process will require comprehensive efforts to address the immediate needs of the affected population, including providing shelter, clean water, food, and medical assistance. Repairing and rebuilding damaged infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and power transmission towers will also be crucial, and will be undertaken by the authorities.
Long-term recovery efforts will focus on supporting the agricultural sector and assisting affected households in restoring their livelihoods. This may involve providing financial and/or agricultural assistance, and other forms of support to help farmers recover and rebuild their businesses.
Overall, the regeneration process will necessitate collaborative and endeavours involving the government, human- itarian organizations, and the local community to ensure that the affected areas can recover and rebuild their lives after this devastating disaster.