At least 11 dead and dozens missing in a landslide in Georgia

   At least 11 people were killed and dozens of others are missing in a landslide in the mountainous region of Raca, in northwestern Georgia, authorities said Friday.

Georgian Interior Ministry said, "11 bodies were found as part of the search and rescue operation."

The previous toll was seven dead.

"The situation is tough," Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili told the press during his visit to the site.

He stated that rescuers continue searching for about thirty missing people after the landslide that occurred Thursday in this area known for its tourist resorts.

"The work continues tirelessly," Garibashvili said, adding that he had ordered the Georgian army to join the search.

After heavy rains for several days, a landslide occurred Thursday near a hotel in Chovi, a small tourist resort in the mountains of the Racha district, and led to damage to homes, power lines, roads, and bridges.

And Georgian media quoted Maryam Peryanidze (26 years), one of the survivors, as saying, "We survived by a miracle," stressing that she spent "two hours partially buried" by the landslide.

"Three people were swept away by the flood before our eyes and I hope they will be found alive," she added.

Ministry of Interior said earlier, "For the second day in a row, search and rescue operations continue with the participation of about 400 firefighters and rescuers" and members of various police units.