Powerful storm hits Georgia’s Black Sea coast
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Updated: 3pm.
Local authorities have declared a state of emergency in Chakvi, a resort town on Georgia’s Black Sea coast due to the heavy storm that is lashing Georgia’s western Adjara and Guria regions.
Heavy rain caused the Chakvistskali River to significantly rise and flood nearby houses. Witnesses said some of the affected houses are at risk of collapse.
The disaster claimed the life of a man.
Meanwhile more than 12 families have been evacuated from Khelvachauri municipality, Adjara.
Strong wind and rain has damaged the electricity infrastructure in the high mountain region of Adjara, leaving more than 740 families without power.
Georgia’s Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Davit Shavliashvili was on his way to Adjara and Guria to personally check the effects of the disaster and offer support to locals in the troubled region.
The flooded house. Photo by pia.ge
Emergency services are mobilized at the seaside zone; Photo by netgazeti.ge
Earlier: 11.43am.
A powerful storm is lashing Georgia’s western Adjara and Guria regions where heavy rain and wind is causing havoc on infrastructure.
The magnitude five storm struck the Adjara region this morning however the weather has been bad in the area for the past three days.
Meanwhile, a school in Shemokmedi, Guria has closed temporarily after heavy rain flooded the first floor of the school building. Emergency services have already evacuated the pupils and the staff of the school.
Strong wind has damaged the electricity infrastructure and two villages, leaving Shemokmedi and Manakveti villages without power. The rain also flooded the access road to Guria’s village Tskhemliskhidi.
Mobile support groups havE been set up across the region and were tasked with managing the emergency situation, local authorities said.
"Heavy rain and windcaused trees to fall down in Batumi, Khelvachauri, Kobuleti and Machakhela,” said Mamuka Turmanidze, head of the Emergency Centre in Batumi.
"Emergency services are mobilized at the seaside zone,” he said.
Turmanidze believed if the storm worsened strong waves would churn up the seafloor and wash sediment ashore along the coastline.
The mobile groups are being coordinated by the Interior Ministry’s emergency headquarters.
Earlier this week, a powerful storm damaged infrastructure in the Black Sea costal area. Streets of Batumi city were flooded as a result of the two-day heavy rainstorm.
Weather experts are warning western Georgian residents and visitors to brace for another major storm that could damage homes, infrastructure and crops.
President Giorgi Margvelashvili left Tbilisi for Adjara to personally check the effects of the disaster and offer support to locals in the troubled region.
A powerful storm is lashing western Georgia where heavy rain is causing havoc on infrastructure in Poti and Batumi. Initial reports claim the magnitude four storm has damaged infrastructure and caused major flooding in coastal areas.
Updated: Local and central government authorities are ready to manage any emergency situation in western Georgia resulting from the heavy storm that is lashing the country’s western Adjara and Guria regions.
Residents of western Georgia’s Adjara and Guria regions will be offered compensation to cover the cost of the damage caused by the heavy storm that is lashing the country’s Black Sea coastal area.
A powerful storm is lashing western Georgia’s Adjara region where heavy rain is causing havoc on infrastructure in Batumi.
Flooded homes have been evacuated in several villages as swollen rivers in western Georgia keep rising.
Experts in Georgia’s Kakheti and Shida Kartli regions are evaluating the damage caused by yesterday’s major hailstorm and heavy rain.
A category 5 storm has hit the Black Sea coast. A temporary ban on swimming in the sea has been put into effect. Red flags have been placed across the shore at all lifeguard stations.
A category 4 storm has hit the Black Sea coast with waves reach a height of three meters.
Heavy rain has caused flood and landslides in Georgia’s black sea region of Adjara. About 60 calls were made to Georgia’s Emergency Service.