We Might Get Caught and Die in Ruins but Where Shall We Go?” – Life in Dangerous Zone

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

More than 150 families live in a dangerous zone in the Kakheti region. A landslide threatens the population. After the exploration this dangerous area, geologists from the National Environmental Agency (NEA) concluded that life in this part of Kakheti can be potentially life threatening. Specialists from the NEA have warned many people in the area to leave their houses immediately and move to a safe place. However, these people still live in the dangerous area because they have no other shelter.

80 families live in the landslide zone in King Erekle and Giorgi Abramishvili Streets in Sighnaghi. Almost every house is cracked in those streets; some of them are so damaged that living in them is impossible; many of the houses have been pulled down and nobody lives there. The residents of King Erekle Street blame the local authority for negligence. They allege that funds were allocated from the central budget for the prevention of the natural disaster before the elections of May 30, 2010. However, the funds were unreasonably wasted.

“They allocated 130, 000 GEL which was spent on the construction of a small part of the destroyed road. The local authority started construction activities two weeks before the elections. The workers worked day and night in sun and rain. The cars worked on street lights at night in order to finish the work before the elections. The road was opened just before  Election Day and on the third day it rained which destroyed one part of the reconstructed road because the work was of a poor quality. They repaired it soon but it continues to deteriorate. My neighbor abandoned his house 4 years ago and now rents a house in Tsnori. The house is run down he could not even take the furniture out of it. Every house is in similar condition on this street but nobody pays attention to us,” said Leila Shaishmelashvili.

“At night, the noise wakes us up. The walls are becoming cracked and they make noises. During rain we cannot enter our houses. When the land gets wet, the house begins shaking. We plead for attention but nobody listens to us,” said resident of Abramishvili Street Nino Iaralov.

Sighnaghi district governor Nodar Kochlamazashvili said the sum allocated in 2010 was reasonably spent. The funds for the rehabilitation of the King Erekle II and Giorgi Abramishvili Streets and for the accommodation of the local residents are not envisaged in the 2011 local budget. “If space for their temporary accommodation is found, the district administration will pay the rent for five families who live in the most dangerous zone; however, those people are against renting flats. We need huge sums to eradicate all problems in the hazardous zone. We have petitioned to the regional governor’s administration and the Ministry for Regional Infrastructure and we are waiting for their replies. Every institution which is somehow connected with the problem, was informed about the situation in the zone,” said the Sighnaghi district governor.

20 families live in the zone of the landslide in Kardenakhi village in Gurjaani district. The basements of the houses are damaged and the rain might destroy them.

“We live in extremely poor conditions; five families live in a particularly dangerous situation. The walls are cracked and the basements are damaged. The kitchen has already begun to fall down in my house. We are afraid the house might fall into the ravine during heavy rains. We petitioned to the local authority in 2010 but they said they did not have money for our compensations in the budget. The district governor sent geologists to explore the area and they said the houses are not worth living in and we should be immediately evacuated from the area. We cannot build new houses with our funds,” said a local resident Nazi Kitiashvili.

Gurjaani District Governor Shota Utiashvili said if the victim of the natural disaster finds a flat the local administration will pay rent for them.

Shota Utiashvili: “We will pay rents only for those families who live in particularly dangerous zones.”

“Based on the letter 23-16/145 of the NEA, dated May 18, 2010, based on the enclosed engineer-geodynamic conclusion and decision of the permanent commission for the evaluation of the damage to the population caused by natural disaster in Sagarejo district, the Sagarejo district administration warns you to immediately leave your house and move to a safe place.”

Resident of Ujarma village in Sagarejo district Tamar Revazisvhili received the abovementioned letter 8 months ago. Although his house has since become more damaged and has also become more dangerous for living, the Revazishvilis still live in that house.

Maia Revazishvili: “We know that we might get caught and die in the ruins but where shall we go? We have nowhere to go. The walls have already fallen apart and we do not know when they will finally come down. We have petitioned to the local authority several times but they said there are not enough funds in the budget to purchase accommodation for us. They can pay only rent for some time.”

Besides the Revazishvilis, other families in Ujarma village also received warning letters from the district administration; however, they still live in the zone of the landslide.

160 families live in Ujarma and more than 100 houses are damaged.

Irakli Chincharauli, Commissary of the territorial entity of Ujarma village: “The houses were mostly damaged in the 1990s. The epicenter of the earthquake was in the village then. Every house was damaged because of the earthquake; the soil is soft there and it supported to create cracks on the walls. Those families, who live in particularly poor conditions, will be evacuated.”