Harsh winter hits Georgia in full force

Winter is in full force in Georgia.

Heavy snowfall and unusually strong frosts put restrictions on almost all central and regional roads across the country.

Georgia’s Road Department announced this morning that due to snow fall and ice, the following restrictions are imposed:

Western Georgia

The 138-193km (Chumateleti-Zestafoni) section of the Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze road is closed to large trucks and semi-trailers. Other vehicles can move freely on the road without restriction.

The 4-29km (Terjola-Tkibuli) section of the Cholaburi Bridge-Terjola-Tkibuli road, the 1-206km section of the Gomi-Sachkhere-Chiatura-Zestaponi road and the 20-72km (Khresili-Ambrolauri) section of the Kutaisi-Tkibuli-Ambrolauri road are closed to large trucks and semi-trailers. Other vehicles can move on this road only if they are fitted with anti-skid chains. There are no restrictions on this road for 4-wheel drive vehicles.

The 30-188km (Jvari-Ushguli) section of the Zugdidi-Jvari-Lasdili road is closed to large trucks, semi-trailers and large passenger vehicles (with more than 30 seats). Other vehicles can move on this road only if they are fitted with anti-skid chains. There are no restrictions on this road for 4-wheel drive vehicles.

Eastern Georgia

The 75-97km (near Armenia border) section of the Ponichala-Marneuli-Guguti road is closed to large trucks, semi-trailers and large passenger vehicles (with more than 30 seats). Other vehicles can move on this road without restriction.

All vehicles can move only if they are fitted with anti-skid chains along the 0-58km (Gombori) section of the Vaziani-Gomvori-Telavi road, the 110-146km (Rodionovka-Ninotsminda) section of the Koda-Partskhisi-Manglisi-Tsalka-Ninotsminda road and the 90-112km (Ninotsminda-Armenia border) section of the Akhaltsikhe-Ninotsminda road. There are no restrictions on these roads for 4-wheel drive vehicles.

Georgia’s Road Department road-clearing efforts are under way. The agency advised drivers from all over Georgia to put winter tires on their vehicles.

Snow postpones flight

Bad weather in the west of Georgia caused flight delays at Kutaisi International Airport. Passengers of today’s Kutaisi-Milan flight were accommodates in a hotel after the flight was postponed and rescheduled for 1pm tomorrow afternoon.