Tbilisi Flood Day 12: 3 people still missing
Hyena found dead in Tbilisi Zoo

Search efforts of the devastated Tbilisi Zoo complex have uncovered the body of a striped hyena inside one of the mud-drenched enclosures.

The hyena was one of two animals feared missing after the June 13 flood in Georgia’s capital Tbilisi. Now only one tiger remains unaccounted for.

Clean-up crews have yet to sift through the tiger’s cage, which was completely destroyed in the flood, so there is still a possibility the animal’s body is buried beneath the rubble.

The missing tiger is named Salima, Tbilisi Zoo officials said.

The hyena’s body was found yesterday underneath thick mud when experts finished cleaning the first of 12 enclosures.

Tbilisi Zoo enclosures fool of mud and logs and debris. Photo by N. Alavidze / Agenda.ge

About 70 percent of Tbilisi Zoo territory was devastated by a powerful flash flood that hit Tbilisi overnight on June 13. Since then rescue efforts have been underway to search for missing people, recover bodies of humans and animals and clean the affected areas.

Currently only one of the zoo’s enclosures has been completely cleaned while 12-15 have been partially cleaned.

A Tbilisi Zoo representative told Agenda.ge it will take "a long time” until all enclosures are fully cleaned.

The enclosure of the missing tiger Salima is yet to be cleaned. Special cleaning crews cannot access this cage yet as it is located in the middle of a row of damaged enclosures. The Zoo spokesperson said the cleaning efforts must be done systematically and explained it was "impossible” to reach Salima’s cage if the surrounding enclosures were not cleaned up first.

Meanwhile the Zoo representative said all possible sightings of the missing tiger were being investigated however several children had purposely made hoax phone calls. This was frustrating and took up time and effort that could be better spent on cleaning efforts, said the spokesperson. None of the calls proved to be genuine and the search for the missing tiger continued.

Cleaning works are underway in disaster zone. Photo by N. Alavidze / Agenda.ge

The tiger has been missing for 12 days.

Dozens of wild animals escaped Tbilisi Zoo when it was flooded and mostly destroyed during the June 13 disaster. About half of the Zoo's animals died in the flood but other animals that lived in the upper part of the Zoo survived.

Meanwhile 19 people died in the disaster and three people are still missing. It is believed all three are dead.

Today rescuers began scouring Mtkvari River by boat. The entire length of the river will be checked in the process, said officials. On this note, the Georgian side asked Azerbaijan to search for the bodies on their territory where the Mtkvari River flows.

Rescuers started their search efforts from Dry Bridge near central Tbilisi. As well as searching for bodies, rescuers are clearing the water from logs and debris that was carried into the river by the flash flood. This debris has caused parts of the river to block.

Rescuers will continue focusing on the Mtkvari River until the whole river is checked and cleared.

If you wish to donate some money to the Tbilisi flood relief fund, you can find full details of the donation accounts here.