In June 2015, heavy rainfall over the Vere River basin resulted in sudden, destructive flash floods which struck Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. Georgia’s Ministry of Finance, representing the government, officially asked the country offices of the United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank to support their efforts to quickly undertake a needs assessment which could serve as a basis for long-term recovery and prevention.
 
In response to this request, a team of national and international consultants from UNDP, the World Bank, the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery and the United States Department of Agriculture joined Georgian government and Tbilisi City Hall experts to conduct the Tbilisi Disaster Needs Assessment.