Wild animals escape Tbilisi Zoo, locals urged to stay indoors
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Several wild animals remain on the loose and people in Tbilisi are being urged to remain indoors after a major flood in Tbilisi overnight.
In order to ensure the safety of the Tbilisi population, rescue teams have been mobilised to capture the wild animals that managed to escape from Tbilisi Zoo over night. Several animals are still roaming free in central streets of Georgia's capital.
At today's Government meeting Georgia's Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili said some of the wild animals have been euthanised and others had been killed.
The Zoo Administration said 20 wolves, eight lions, white tigers, tigers, hyenas, jaguars and seven bears had escaped the Zoo but some of them had already been captured or killed. Only three penguins survived out of 17. A hippopotamus has already be returned to the Zoo after roaming in nearby Heroes Square.
Heavy rain last night caused a major flash flood, which damaged animal enclosures and allowed the animals to escape.
The animals living in the upper side of the Zoo survived the flood, including snakes, elephants, deer, ponies and more.
Georgia's PM said special services employees were doing their best to find the animals that had escaped and return them to their rightful home. He urged Tbilisi residents not to walk in the city and especially in the territory where the disaster happened. Garibashvili urged the Tbilisi population to dial 112, Georgia's Emergency Response Centre, if they saw any wild animal.
Meanwhile, Georgia's Patrol Police have restricted traffic movement on several main roads in Tbilisi.
Garibashvili also called the Tbilisi residents to refrain from driving in the near future so the roads can remain relatively free and rescuers can complete their operations.
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.
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.
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.
Take a look at this incredible aerial video shot by drone above the Vere river valley in central Tbilisi. The footage shows the scale of the damage caused by the Saturday night flood.
People from around the globe are banding together to support those affected by a deadly flood in Georgia’s capital on Saturday night.
Three lions, two bears, a tiger, jaguar and wolf could still be roaming Tbilisi streets following the massive flooding that destroyed the zoo in the Georgian capital on Sunday morning.
Rescuers are urging people in Tbilisi to refrain from driving in the capital city today as it hampered recovery works and road cleaning efforts.
Search and rescue teams are continuing to search for one tiger and a striped hyena, and are urging people in Georgia's capital to remain vigilant and avoid dark and hidden places until the two animals are caught.
Updated: "Unusually large animal prints” seen in one of the villages in central Georgia that locals thought belonged to a big cat has turned out to be a dog's footprints.
People all over the world have a chance to help Tbilisi Zoo recover from a devastating flood that slammed the Georgian capital on June 13.
Tbilisi Zoo is enjoying its first good news since the June 13 devastating flash flood, which killed 19 people and dozens of animals and destroyed much of the Zoo territory and nearby residences.
A body found in Tbilisi last month has been identified as one of the three missing victims of June 13 Tbilisi flash flood.
A porcupine, which escaped from Tbilisi Zoo yesterday, was returned by police officers, reports Radio Liberty.