Fighting with Natural Disaster with Bare Hands

Houses and cattle sheds have moved two meters, plots have flooded, a landslide and the people who lived in danger of it are now a reality in the district. The population expects the local government to help them, and the local authority waits for the central government. The government shares responsibility, and the money for compensation is on its way. Nonetheless, the number of people injured by landslides and floods in Adigeni district increases each year.

The Monitoring Service Offices within the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources conducted an analysis and sent materials to the Department for the Emergency Situations of the Internal Ministry. Consequently, the Regional Administration for the Internal Ministry charged the Adigeni Municipality with carrying out organizational and engineering projects to avoid emergency situations.

Landslides threaten the small town of Adigeni and the villages of Ghortubani, Zedubani, Dertseli, Zanavi, Varkhani, Ude, Arali and Tsarbastumani. Villages of Adigeni, Mokhe, Chechla, Ude and Arali also face the danger of floods.

In the district, the problems of landslides and floods return every summer and autumn.

Two years ago, falling rocks seriously damaged the family of Vanadzes in the village of Dertseli. The rock collapsed just behind their house. As a result of the disaster the house and the cattle shed of the family moved two meters. The family of Vanadzes was made to find shelter at their neighbors’. The money that was apportioned to assist the family is still under way.

“I guess a person should rely only on himself. How long should I wait for assistance from the government?” asked Bejan Vanadze.

The Vanadzes moved to the village of Mokhe where they bought a house.

“Here I am not afraid that the house will collapse on me at night,” said twelve-year-old Tiniko Vanadze happily.

Villagers complain about the danger and the damage. “The plots in the village of Smadi were flooded. Consequently, plantings of corn, beans and potatoes were destroyed. The river flooded and reached the plots and destroyed everything. We could not stop the natural disaster with our bare hands. We are waiting for spring and autumn with foreboding,” said Zaza Gogoladze, a resident for the village of Smadi.
“Residents of the village of Kekhovani also live in very dangerous area. There are loose rocks close to residential houses, and sand is moving down from this point. Last year we cut channels in the village of Chechela but it did not improve anything. Serious works must be carried out in the area. Fourteen families face the danger of being caught under the landslide. The whole plot was destroyed by landslide, and the water started to flow out from the ground. The district administration apportioned five thousand lari and we installed tubes, though it was not enough. Nowadays, the Board of the District Authority says they do not have enough funds to carry out serious geological works in the area,” said Nazi Dekanadze, a governor of the Chechla Territorial Entity.

Zurab Chilingarashvili, Governor of the Adigeni Municipality, speaks about the damaged families and funds. He said that great sums are necessary to eradicate the problem, to build up dams and assist all families. The small budget of the district cannot afford to resolve the problem.

“Some funds are set aside in the district budget for victim families. Changes will be made in the budget within ten days. We will give you estimated and exact number of compensation soon. We expect the central government to allocate considerable sums from the budget to resolve these problems,” said Chilingarashvili.

Gulo Kokhodze, Adigeni