Tbilisi flooding: Armed Forces join rescue and cleaning operations

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.

According to the Secretary of the Security Council Irina Imerlishvili, Logistics Provisions Command of the General Staff and Air Force units will be used in the recovery of the disaster.

"Georgian President, as the Commander-in-Chief, gave an order to use the military forces. Under the order, the Armed Forces Engineering Brigade, Logistics Provision Command, as well as the aviation and air defence Command will engage in operations,” she said.

Georgian soldiers have participated in rescue and cleaning operations since early this morning.

Georgian Armed Forces conduct cleaning works on the damaged Vake-Saburtalo highway. Photo by Defence Ministry.

The military servicemen of the Engineer Brigade and Army Logistics Provision Command of the Georgian Armed Forces have been carrying out the rescue and recovery works in the nearby territory of Tbilisi Zoo, as well as in the Vake-Saburtalo area in central Tbilisi.

Special machinery and equipment of the Army Logistics Provision Command is being utilised on the ground.

The military units were also cleaning up the debris caused by a landslide on Tskneti-Akhaldaba road near Tbilisi.

Meanwhile latest data revealed 12 people were killed and 24 remained missing after heavy rain and the disastrous flood hit the capital of Georgia. The rain also caused a landslide on the Tskneti-Betania road close to Tbilisi.