TBILISI DISASTER NEEDS ASSESSMENT 2015 FINAL DRAFT 2 September, 2015 Contents Foreword .......................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Executive Summary ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 SECTION I: THE DISASTER ........................................................................................................................................8 Description of the disaster ........................................................................................................................................8 Hydrology of the Vere River ......................................................................................................................................8 Summary of the causes of the disaster ...................................................................................................................9 Response to the disaster............................................................................................................................................9 SECTION II: ESTIMATION OF DISASTER EFFECTS ..........................................................................................12 Effects upon the population .....................................................................................................................................12 DESCRIPTION AND VALUATION OF DAMAGES AND LOSSES ...............................................................12 Sector 1: Housing .................................................................................................................................................12 Sector 2: Transport ...............................................................................................................................................13 Sector 3: The Zoo .................................................................................................................................................19 Sector 4: Water management & drainage basin and river management ...................................................22 The private sector ................................................................................................................................................23 SECTION III: SECTORAL NEEDS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RECOVERY ...................................24 Introduction ................................................................................................................................................................24 Housing ........................................................................................................................................................................24 1. Immediate measures ........................................................................................................................................25 2. Short-term measures.......................................................................................................................................27 3. Medium and long-term measures .................................................................................................................27 Transportation ............................................................................................................................................................27 Debris flow hazard measures ............................................................................................................................28 The Amirejibi Highway ........................................................................................................................................29 Landslides ...............................................................................................................................................................29 Areas of cut slope failures ..................................................................................................................................29 Transport: recommended measures by time frame ...........................................................................................30 1. Immediate measures ........................................................................................................................................30 2. Short-term measures .......................................................................................................................................31 3. Medium to long-term measures ....................................................................................................................31 Water management: Managing the river and its drainage basin .......................................................................31 1. Immediate measures ........................................................................................................................................32 2. Short to medium-term actions (12 to 36 Months) ...................................................................................36 3. Medium to long term (> 36 Months) ...........................................................................................................37 Tbilisi Zoo ....................................................................................................................................................................40 1. Immediate measures ........................................................................................................................................40 2. Short-term measures .......................................................................................................................................41 3. Medium and long-term measures..................................................................................................................41 SECTION IV: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR IMPROVING DISASTER RISK MANAGEMENT ..................42 Description of institutional mechanisms and capacities for disaster risk reduction (DRR)......................42 Tbilisi’s hazard, risk and vulnerability profiles ......................................................................................................43 Weather monitoring and forecasting systems .....................................................................................................44 The environmental impact of the 13 June floods ................................................................................................46 Assessing the performance of the DRR system at the municipal level ..........................................................46 1. Understanding disaster risk ............................................................................................................................47 2. Disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk .....................................................................................47 3. Investing in disaster risk reduction for resilience ......................................................................................48 4. Disaster preparedness for effective response and for “Build Back Better” during recovery, rehabilitation and reconstruction .......................................................................................48 SECTION V: Recommendations FOR STRENGTHENING TBILISI’S DISASTER RISK REDUCTION system towards A RISK-INFORMED DEVELOPMENT ......................................50 Short-term recommendations: ...........................................................................................................................50 Medium-term recommendations: ......................................................................................................................51 Long-term recommendations: ............................................................................................................................52 ANNEXES .......................................................................................................................................................................................53 ANNEX 6: List of institutions interviewed for assessment of DRR Sector .................................................53 ANNEX 7: Tbilisi Disaster Profile ...........................................................................................................................53 TABLES ........................................................................................................................................................................55 FIGURES ........................................................................................................................................................................56 ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ......................................................................................................................57 REFERENCES..................................................................................................................................................................58 TBILISI DISASTER NEEDS ASSESSMENT 2015 Foreword During the night of 13-14 June 2015, heavy rainfall over the Vere River basin resulted in sudden, destruc- tive flash floods which struck the Vake and Saburtalo neighbourhoods of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi, as well as other areas of the city along the right bank of the river Mtkvari. The Lisi, Tsodoreti,