Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the relevant authorities will investigate whether construction permits issued near the Telaviskhevi River were granted lawfully following severe flooding in the city.
Kobakhidze said he believes the permits were issued improperly and that this contributed to the scale of the damage.
“I believe the construction permits were definitely issued improperly, although the relevant agencies will determine the details. This concerns several commercial facilities, which exacerbated the problem. In the future, every city must be protected as much as possible from such events, and all necessary measures will be taken to ensure that Telavi is as well protected as possible against similar incidents,” Kobakhidze said.
Heavy rainfall on July 12 caused the Telaviskhevi River to overflow its banks, flooding parts of the city, including Kavkasioni and Alazani avenues.
No injuries were reported. The flooding inundated the ground floors and basements of residential buildings, as well as pharmacies, shops, and other commercial properties.
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