Updated: Tbilisi flood death toll climbs to 19

Updated:  7.43pm:

The bodies of two more victims of the Tbilisi flood have been found this evening, bringing the death toll to 19.

One of the bodies was found in Mziuri Park in central Tbilisi and the other was recovered from River Mtkvari in Gardabani district, 39km south of the capital. 

None of these two bodies have been identified yet. 

Meanwhile the 17th then-unidentified victim found earlier this evening in Mziuri Park was now identified as Davit Gabitashvili, 40.

Authorities said six more people were still missing. 

First Updated:  6.25pm:

Authorities have discovered the bodies of two more victims of the Tbilisi flood, bringing the death toll to 17.

This evening Georgian officials confirmed 17 people had died as a result of the devastating flood on Saturday evening.

The 16th victim was Ivlita Jibuti, 25, and she was discovered in Mziuri Park near Vere River in the centre of Tbilisi. Her family told local media that she was pregnant. 

As for the 17th victim, he was male and he has not been identified yet.

Earlier: 1.55pm: 

Fifteen people have lost their lives and seven more are still missing following what specialists called "the most devastating flooding” in the past 50 years in Tbilisi.

The updated death toll was released by the secretary of the State Security and Crisis Management Council, Mindia Janelidze earlier this afternoon.

One of the 15 victims was a rescue officer who died while taking people out of a flooded building on Sunday morning, the first day of the disaster.

See more about the victims here.

Meanwhile, the city has started its long road to recovery. Traffic restrictions have been removed almost everywhere in Tbilisi after broken roads were restored at several locations overnight.

Heroes Square, one of the most affected areas of the city, has been reopened to traffic although cars are still unable to travel in the Varazis Khevi direction.

Janelidze said all the overpasses and underpasses of Heroes Square were open except for Varazis Khevi, which he believed would open tomorrow.

"There are no technical difficulties there either but we think if we open this direction it might deter the movement of machinery and manpower that are carrying out searching and restoring works,” Janelidze said.

He also noted there were four locations in and near the city where a landslide danger existed but there were action plans in place in case of any possible developments.

Dozens of houses were swept away when small Vere river swelled on Sunday morning. Photo by Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.

Janelidze also thanked all rescue services and volunteers who have helped clean the city and search for missing people for the past three days.

"If our citizens want to help [about 300] who were left homeless, they can bring whatever they can offer to any municipal centre,” he said.