Eight die, dozens missing after major Tbilisi flood
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At least eight people have been killed and dozens remain missing following yesterday’s major flooding in Tbilisi.
Initial reports claimed at least 40 families from the Vake neighbourhood were left homeless after the swollen Vere River swept away houses and flooded other buildings.
"Nothing like this has ever happened in Tbilisi before,” said Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili who inspected the affected areas all night.
The heavy rain started before midnight and it completely flooded a new highway, linking Vake-Saburtalo road to Heroes Square.
Tbilisi Zoo territory looked like this last night. Six lions, six tigers, seven bears, 13 wolves and other wild animals escaped. Photo by I. Modebadze.
Tbilisi Zoo which was located near Heroes Square was completely destroyed. Dozens of wild animals escaped from their cages and were now roaming central Tbilisi streets.
The Zoo Administration said six lions, six tigers, seven bears and 13 wolves had escaped from the Zoo but some of them have since been captured or killed.
Locals and zoo workers try to get the escaped hippopotamus to a safer place. Photo by infotime.ge
It is believed the flooding was caused by a major landslide in two locations near Tskneti and Betania, not far from Tbilisi. The landslide caused the Vera River to dam and later burst, causing a torrent of water to surge towards capital Tbilisi. "The State Security and Crisis Management Council are working around the clock” said the Prime Minister. He called on people to stay at home on Sunday as several central roads would remain blocked during the day.
The extent of the damage was not known yet but officials said "it seemed to be very bad”.
A disaster is unfolding in Georgia's capital Tbilisi. Heavy rain is causing major damage in Tbilisi's Vake-Saburtalo district. Roads have been swamped, cars have been washed away and houses have been severely flooded. Several animals have also escaped from Tbilisi Zoo.
Dozens of people have been helicoptered to safety after a major landslide isolated Akhaldaba village, which lies nine kilometres away from capital Tbilisi, from the rest of the region.
Georgian officials have confirmed a 10th person has died following major flooding in Georgia's capital Tbilisi overnight. Several wild animals that escaped from Tbilisi Zoo, including tigers, bears and wolves, are still on the loose in city streets.
The Georgian Government will allocate 10 million GEL to Tbilisi City Hall to combat the damage caused by major flooding in the country’s capital overnight.
The President of Georgia and Commander-in-Chief of the country Giorgi Margvelashvili has ordered military forces to get involved in rescue operations following a deadly flood in Tbilisi last night.
Fourteen people who were reported missing after Sunday morning’s deadly Tbilisi flood have shown up safe and well and are now recovering from their ordeal with their loved ones.
Georgia is mourning the loss of a dozen people who died in a major flash flood in capital city Tbilisi on Saturday night.
Authorities have discovered the bodies of two more victims of the Tbilisi flood, bringing the death toll to 14.
Exactly six months has passed since Georgia’s capital Tbilisi was hit by a deadly flash flood, which turned out to be the city’s worst human and infrastructural disaster in years.
Today marks exactly one year since Georgia’s capital Tbilisi was hit by a deadly flash flood, which turned out to be the city’s worst human and infrastructural disaster in years. Twenty-one people lost their lives in the flood on the evening of June 13, 2015. The bodies of two of these victims have still not been found.
What has been done to restore Tbilisi after June 13 flood?
In the past 12 months the Georgian Government, foreign governments, private companies and ordinary citizens have united to help Tbilisi rise up from disaster and return to its former glory.