Search of missing in Shovi landslide will continue until “slightest chance” of finding bodies – official

Teimuraz Mgebrishvili, the head of the Georgian Emergency Management Service, on Thursday said the search operation of more than 10 missing in deadly Shovi landslide in Western Georgia last Thursday would continue until there was even the “slightest” chance of finding their bodies, with the disaster killing 21. 

In his press briefing, the official dismissed the allegations on the late launch of the rescue operation – three hours from receiving the notification – and claimed one of two helicopters from Kutaisi was unable to conduct a flight due to hard meteorological conditions, while one of two helicopters from Tbilisi arrived at the site in about two hours. 

He also claimed the engagement of the helicopters in the search and rescue operations on the disaster night was “impossible” due to a “difficult terrain” and high voltage electricity wires, adding thermal drones had been used instead to discover those missing. 

“The Government has ensured far more than reasonable  resources – human forces, hardware, transport – in response to the disaster”, he claimed, adding 800 individuals had been engaged in search and rescue efforts in 10 locations. 
Nineteen of 21 victims have been identified.