Updated: Tbilisi flood victims identified and named

Updated:  7.15pm:

Authorities have discovered the bodies of two more victims of the Tbilisi flood, bringing the death toll to 14.

This afternoon the Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed 14 people had died as a result of the devastating flood on Saturday evening.

The 14th victim was male and he was discovered inside an ambulance. The Ministry of Health believed this man was a patient and was being transported to hospital, as the staff of the car were accounted for.

Earlier: 6.15pm: 

Authorities have recovered and identified the bodies of 12 people who perished in the deadly flood in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi.

The oldest victim was 77 years old while the youngest was 22.

Rescue efforts today revealed a grave situation in Svanidze St in Vake district, where Saturday night’s flash flood ripped through the low-lying suburb, causing waist-high flooding.

The surging Vere River swept away several houses on Svanidze St, where five bodies were found.

The bodies of Nina Rubeni, family members Jana, Svetlana and Liana Egizarovas and Guram Petriashvili were found on Svanidze St. Officials noted Mr Petriashvili was unable to leave his home during the natural disaster.

In addition, 24 families who lived on this street were now homeless and without possessions.

This afternoon the Crisis and Emergency Management Council revealed the names and ages of the victims who had died in the natural disaster.

So far 12 bodies have been recovered and identified, however unofficial sources claimed more people had died during and immediately after the disaster and more victims would be found in the coming days.

Another severely damaged area was the Tbilisi Zoo territory where heavy rain on June 13 caused major damage. Surging water flooded animal enclosures, allowing dozens of animals – bear, wolf, tigers and more – to escape or be killed in the incident.

Three people died at the Zoo territory on Saturday night; among them was caretaker Guliko Chitadze, the woman who lost her arm last month after she was attacked by a tiger at the Zoo.

Guliko Chitadze playing with monkey and tiger. Photo from Tbilisi Zoo Facebook page.

Chitadze had worked at the zoo for 25 years. As soon as she recovered from the attack, she returned to work and continued taking care of her beloved animals.

Today the Crisis and Emergency Management Council said Chitadze and her husband Malkhaz Chitadze, who was also a Zoo worker, were killed in the flooding. Another Zoo worker, Givi Dvali, also died. Their bodies were discovered on Tbilisi Zoo territory.

The body 22-year-old Indira Zarandia, the youngest victim of the Tbilisi flood, was found today. Indira and her sister Liza, 25, became lost during the natural disaster. Today Indira’s body was found but Liza is still missing.

Sisters, Indira and Liza Zarandias. Indira's body was found, Liza still missing. Photo from smo.ge

The three other people who died were Nata Ninashvili, Nugzar Buadze and Nana Shutkova.

Officials said the majority of the people who died were aged between 40-60 years.

Rescue missions have now turned into recovery operations in Tbilisi. Recovery teams are using heavy equipment and lots of manpower to clear the affected sites.

Information about the missing people is expected to be released by the Crisis and Emergency Management Council later today.