The city was damaged in the 1991 Racha earthquake . It , further , experienced a decline in population and economic activity in the years of post-Soviet crisis . Ambrolauri became the seat of Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti regional administration in 1995 . As a result of the local government reform in 2014 , Ambrolauri was split from the homonymous municipality as a self-governing city and the city 's population directly elected its first ever mayor
1991 Racha earthquake
1991 Racha earthquake
Ambrolauri