By Kateřina Zezulková, Caritas Czech Republic Prague, 9 March - In Georgia, a country racked by natural disasters as well as man-made conflict, Caritas Czech Republic recently organised a three-day training exercise for ten people, with the financial support of the European Office for Humanitarian Aid. The aim of the exercise was to deepen participants’ knowledge and awareness of the dangers that threaten the country and to improve their ability to respond to a crisis, should one occur. Life in Coloured Zones Ajaria, a scenic autonomous area which has all the right qualities to become a popular tourist destination, hides its dangers in the mountains. Beyond the height of two thousand metres, Ajaria’s mountain areas are only accessible in summer months, thus cutting the local population off from the rest of the country for most of the year. Agriculture, frequent rain and sensitive soil types all mean that landslides pose a serious risk to people living in Ajaria’s mountains. Moreover, heavy stone houses – a frequent sight in the area, weigh down on the local soil. “A few weeks ago a landslide swept away one of these houses leaving the youngest member of the family as the only survivor,” declares Aslan Chanidze from Independent Journalists' House, an organisation which is trying to raise awareness of environmental risks in the region.

Currently there are 6,000 families who have been forced to leave their homes due to landslides Credit: Cartias Czech Republic

The geological map of the region is surprisingly diverse, divided into white zones, where the danger of a landslide is minimal, yellow zones where certain precautions need to be taken and red zones, which are unfit for human habitation. Currently there are 6,000 families who have been forced to leave homes in red zones. Many more are at risk of also becoming ecological migrants.

It is therefore vital to provide citizens with assistance and advice on how to reduce the risk of falling victim to a landslide. Although the Georgian government has access to basic analyses of risk areas, more detailed geological studies have not yet been carried out. 

Saying Goodbye to Glass Chandeliers

What is the correct procedure during an earthquake? “The strongest wall is usually situated by windows, so the best place to stand is there. Lying down in the bath is also advisable and the stairs should be avoided,” says Vano Grigolashvili, the trainer during the ‘How to work correctly in crisis situations’ exercise. “Richly decorated chandeliers, which were popular in Soviet times, have now been mostly removed as have potentially dangerous shelves above beds.”

Nine years ago a strong earthquake which hit the Racha region reached nearly 7.0 on the Richter Scale. A year previously, Georgia was hit by 8 earthquakes in 12 months. It is therefore extremely important for every town and village to have an evacuation plan ready in order to avoid chaotic and panicked reactions. Each family should prepare a safe place outside their homes where family members can gather in the event of serious danger.

Currently, most assistance to Georgia after natural disasters is provided by international organisations. It is however, “vital to train local staff to respond to crises”, says Sylva Horakova, Programme Manager for the South Caucasus. “Already some progress is visible”, she says. “Recently, two-week training exercises were organised in 16 villages with the help of experts in disaster management.” 

Expanding Capacities to React

The work of Caritas Czech Republic does not stop however after three days of training. Recently, they also visited India along with colleagues from the Red Cross, Caritas Georgia and Independent Journalists' House. There they were joined by aid workers from Chechnya, Moldova, Indonesia and Mongolia. In India, they were coached by colleagues from Caritas India who have many years of experience in development work in their region.

Caritas Czech Republic is therefore becoming increasingly able to deal with crises anywhere and at any time.

Translation: Hana Vranová

For more information please contact:
Kateřina Zezulková
Program administrator for projects in Georgia and Moldova Humanitarian and Development Aid Department
Caritas Czech Republic Vladislavova 12, 110 00, Prague 1
Tel: + 420 296 243 330
Cell: + 420 602 358 752
Fax: + 420 296 243 333
www.charita.cz