The death toll from a landslide that hit a resort area in the mountains of the country of Georgia increased to 17, officials said, as a search and rescue operation continued.

The landslide hit the Shovi area on Thursday, about 85 miles north-west of the capital Tbilisi.

The area is popular for its mineral springs and rugged mountain vistas and contains cottages and small hotels.

The head of the Georgian internal affairs ministry’s emergency management service, Temur Mgebrishvili, confirmed the death of 17 people and noted that 18 people are still unaccounted for.

Georgian authorities said they had only been able to identify seven of the dead so far, and that DNA analysis would determine the identity of the other victims.

Officials said the landslide apparently was triggered by heavy rainfall, aggravated by recent erosion in the area.