Snow restricts Georgian motorists

Heavy snow has restricted travel on Central and North Georgian roads.

In some areas, more than a metre of snow has blanketed the roads.

Vehicles are permitted on highways if they have anti-skid tyre chains. Large transport vehicles are prohibited in several regions.

Motorists are forbidden to travel on roads in the Gudauri-Kodbi territory, a northern region of Georgia. Experts cited avalanche danger as the reason vehicles are prohibited from these roads.

Several avalanches have already occurred in this region.

Large transport vehicles are barred from travelling on highways to Mestia, in the Svaneti region, where half a metre of snow covered the road.

Vehicles are allowed on the highway to Gudauri, a touristic town in northern Georgia, but they must be fitted with anti-skid tyre chains, said the Highway Department.

Snow is currently falling in most areas of Eastern Georgia, high mountain regions in Western Georgia, as well as Bolnisi, Korzouli and the capital city. Vehicle movement in Tbilisi has not been restricted. In other lowland areas it is raining.

The heaviest snowfall has occurred in Khulo in the mountainous region of Adjara. Weather analysts said about 150cm of snow covered the roads of villages in this region. Snow cover has reached 47cm in Shovi, 54cm in Mestia, 125cm in Rikoti, 77cm in Bakuriani and 77cm in Gudauri.

Weather experts stated Western Georgia was hit by a five magnitude storm today.

The National Weather Station has forecast temperatures to drop to -10C in the lowlands of Georgia tomorrow night and to -15 on Sunday.

Freezing temperatures are expected to linger in Eastern Georgia for the first week of February.