On June 13, 2015, heavy rainfall hit Tbilisi, causing the Vere River to overflow. A landslide and debris carried by the river exceeded the riverbed’s capacity, flooding several kilometers of the Vere Valley and surrounding areas. The rain continued until the morning of June 14.

The disaster claimed 19 lives (several people remain missing), and the Tbilisi Zoo, located in the Vere Valley, was almost completely destroyed. Some animals — including 5 lions, 6 tigers, 6 bears, 13 wolves, and 1 hippopotamus — escaped their enclosures and were found roaming the city. One of the tigers, which had taken refuge in an abandoned warehouse, killed a man.

A few days after the disaster, on June 28, an action was held in front of the Tbilisi City Council demanding the creation of a park in the Vere Valley. The same demand was voiced by the groups “Guerrilla Gardeners” and “Green Fist” through their petitions. Activists protested against the project “Manhattan,” initiated by the Georgian Chamber of Commerce and construction associations, which envisaged the construction of residential buildings, a recreational zone, and a business tower in the Vere Valley. The protest did not lead to any response.