"As of this moment, rescuers have recovered 17 bodies. Over 200 people have been evacuated to safety as a part of the rescue operation," the ministry said in a statement on the website.
The rescue operation in the disaster area continues for the third day. Fire and rescue services, law enforcers, military servicepeople, cynologists, special vehicles and a helicopter of the Border Police are involved in the operation, according to the ministry's data.
Georgian media reported earlier in the day that the death toll stood at 13 while the search continued for 23 others still missing.
In this image provided by Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia press service, a rescue helicopter flies over a landslide area near Shovi, about 140 kilometers (85 miles) northwest of the capital Tbilisi, Georgia, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. At least seven people were killed and more than 30 are missing after a landslide hit a resort area in the mountains of the country of Georgia, officials and news reports said Friday.
© Zurab Tsertsvadze
The landslide occurred on Thursday near the Sunset Shovi Hotel in the village of Shovi. It swept away bridges and damaged roads. More than 400 rescuers and service personnel are working at the site. Following the disaster, Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili declared August 7 a day of mourning.