TBILISI, September 18 – The joint Lelo and For Georgia candidate for mayor in landslide hit Kharagauli surveyed affected villages today, as the elections are only weeks away.
Inga Maghradze was joined by Aleko Elisashvili, who is running for deputy mayor of the capital for the same two party ticket, although he is leader of his own party, Citizen.
According to the coalition, road infrastructure in the affected areas has been heavily damaged, making it difficult for ambulances and fire crews to reach communities in case of emergency.
In the villages of Khemaghali and Ghverki, dozens of families have already abandoned their homes. Local officials say around 70 households have left, while a handful of families remain just meters from the landslide zone.
Residents have been waiting for four months for an official assessment on whether it is safe to continue living there. In the meantime, cracks in the ground are widening, and villagers are struggling to salvage their autumn harvest while fearing the arrival of winter.
The coalition said people in Kharagauli are bracing for the rainy season with growing anxiety, worried that the next heavy downpour could worsen the landslide risks.
Natural disasters, particularly landslides and floods, are a recurring challenge in Georgia’s mountainous regions.
