SHOVI, Georgia -- One year has passed since the August 3, 2023, disaster that claimed the lives of 33 people in Shovi, a picturesque vacation town in the Greater Caucasus Mountains. Massive stones and gravel now cover the once-vibrant resort, and the search for a missing child has been abandoned.
From a distance, the area appears as a large white space covered with stones. If you had visited prior to the disaster, you wouldn't recognize it as the once green field where huge firs and pines stood surrounding the resort of Shovi.
Located in Upper Racha about 1,600 meters above sea level, Shovi has a history that spans nearly a century. It was established as a resort by Simon (Shanshe) Lezhava after he graduated from medical school in Vienna. Locals still fondly refer to Shovi as their "pearl" and "queen."
Today, silence and emptiness pervade the area, broken only by the sound of a fast mountain river. According to survivors, many who were close to the river did not notice the approaching mudflow until the very last moment before the tragedy that forever altered their lives.
From above, the resort grounds appear surprisingly level, in sharp contrast to the mayhem that had once existed below. This is the area where searches continued for several months following the mudslide.
Walking through the landscape is challenging due to the petrified hills of mud, stones, trees, and other debris left behind by the mudslide. The heavy machinery used here to hunt for the missing left behind deep divots that are still visible today.
The catastrophe struck on August 3, 2023, at approximately 3 p.m. on a clear, sunny day. Visitors were either staying in their cottages, strolling the resort grounds, or enjoying the "acidic waters." No one could have predicted that a mudslide would engulf them in a matter of horrifying seconds, claiming the lives of 33 people.
The immense power of the mudslide is evident from the trees and boulders scattered around. The glacier seems to stare back, a reminder of the potential for future disasters.
WATCH: Davit Jeladze was on a family hike when a landslide swept through the Georgian resort town of Shovi. Jedladze and his 6-year-old niece Masho spent four hours battling through the mud to safety.
Eight months after the disaster, the National Environmental Agency concluded that the tragedy was unavoidable and that no warning system could have mitigated its severe consequences.
In its findings they found that a massive rock lying to the west of Buba came into contact with the glacier, leading to its collapse and the overflow of water in the crevices. The friction caused by the rock's surface melted the glacier rapidly, creating a fast-moving flood that moved towards the valley.
According to the same conclusion, the mud mass covered an average of 24 meters per second.
The disaster partially reached the former Sunset Shovi hotel, filling the first floor of one building with mud. Abandoned belongings are scattered around, with a lone rose bush blooming among the ruins.
Eka Goglizde recalls the many details of what was supposed to be a special time at Shovi -- her son's birthday. The bike that she and her husband, Nika, had purchased, the many text messages exchanged as they planned everything together. Then the messages abruptly stopped. Nika's lifeless body was found on August 17.
"I will probably never return to Shovi," Goglidze said.
The investigation into whether negligence or safety violations contributed to the loss of life remains unresolved. Lawyers argue that the case should be investigated under different articles, such as official negligence.
Another survivor, Lana Jeladze, can still vividly recall that unforgettable day, where she, along with her brothers and sisters, their children, and her mother, were out walking. Suddenly they were struck by a wave of mud that left them immobile for nearly four hours before they were plucked from the ground by a rescue helicopter.
"We stood buried in the frozen ground. I thought I was dying. I'm dead," Jeladze recalled. Though they survived, they did not receive victim status.
The disaster that befell Shovi had its greatest impact on the settlement of Glola, which lies along the only route into Shovi. The disaster claimed the lives of 13 local people.
Previously, during this time of year, family cars loaded with suitcases and small, happy families were a daily sight along the road leading to Shovi. Now the road is nearly lifeless.
"People are afraid to return," said Gulnaz Bichashvili, an elderly villager from Glola. "But life goes on; we have to continue living."
Today, no one talks about bringing the once-popular resort back to life. Instead, the talk is now focused on a memorial that will be erected in memory of those who died.
