Mikheil Sarjveladze, the Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from Occupied Territories, Labour, Health, and Social Affairs visited one of the persons, injured in a devastating explosion occurred in a residential building in Ortachala.

“An accident occurred. We will likely have more information on the exact causes after the investigation. It appears to be related to a gas leak or a malfunction in the network that precipitated the explosion, leading to this tragic outcome. The evacuation process has begun for those who require urgent assistance. In the next hour or two, we expect to have all affected individuals housed. It’s challenging to determine exactly how many families are displaced, as the building was not fully occupied and some apartments were locked. It is estimated that there are several dozen residents”, - said Mikheil Sarjveladze.

Levan Mgaloblishvili, Chairman of the Government of the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia, confirmed one child among the four injured.

“We are at the scene where this tragic incident occurred. One person has lost their life, and we extend our condolences to their family and loved ones. Our priority now is to ensure housing for the affected residents, and we are working closely with the city hall and the Health Ministry. We suspect that the explosion was caused by a gas leak, but the investigation will confirm the exact causes. Currently, four individuals are receiving treatment at the clinic, including one child whose condition is stable. One person’s situation is relatively severe, but we remain hopeful for their recovery”, - added Levan Mgaloblishvili.