Heavy rain hits western Georgia
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The streets in Georgia's Black Sea coastal town Batumi in the western Adjara region are flooded with water; basements and the lower floors of dozens of houses are flooded and water-logged roads are causing chaos for motorists wanting to move throughout the city.
Heavy rain hit has fallen over the city since early this morning, making moving around the city difficult for vehicles and pedestrians.
About 160 residents phoned the Batumi Emergency Service asking to help pump water away from flooded areas. Around 100 rescuers are currently working in affected areas and all relevant governmental bodies are on high alert.
Some restrictions are in place on roads leading into and out of the city. These restrictions were imposed due to raging flood waters on the central highway. A landslide occurred near a tunnel on the main road connecting Batumi with Kobuleti, but the area was cleaned shortly afterwards.
Batumi streets were full of water from the early morning. Photo by Ruslan Tsenteradze.
Five families were evacuated and 320 houses are now isolated as the result of the flood in Shuakhevi municipality in Adjara region.
The raging Gudnistskali River in Uchamba Gorge destroyed the newly restored bridge and damaged nearby road infrastructure.
In Shuakhevi municipality, this bridge was washed away by the river. Photo by Adjara TV.
The severe weather and the river bursting its banks also caused damage in Vani municipality in Imereti region. The central road in Sulori village was washed away by the river and as a result around 150 residents lost contact with the rest of the country.
Weather experts forecast the rainy weather would continue in western Georgia until July 12.
The main road connecting Georgia and Russia has been closed again as meteorologists suggest the weather will worsen and another landslide could occur, potentially damaging the road and other infrastructure.
Heavy downpour yesterday seriously damaged several villages in Georgia’s western, coastal Adjara region, but no victims are reported.
The Georgian Government is taking measures to assist people affected by the heavy rain in the western parts of Georgia.
Georgia’s Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili has travelled to western Georgia where heavy rains have caused major damage to roads and other infrastructure.
Life in Borjomi, central Georgia’s resort town that’s famous for its mineral waters, is returning to normal for residents and guests after a chaotic 24 hours of heavy rain, hail, flooding and widespread power cuts.
Recent bad weather has badly affected several regions of Georgia so that the experts are now evaluating the damage caused by the intensive downpour and precise figures will be known shortly.
Heavy rain and hail has damaged vineyards and other agricultural lands in Georgia’s main wine-making region of Kakheti.
Heavy rain has hit 12 villages in Georgia’s western Oni municipality (Racha region). Ten bridges have been washed away by the Rioni River. Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia’s advisor for regional development issues Sozar Subari, Director of the United Water Supply Company Giga Mandaria, and Head of Emergency Management Service Temur Mgebrshvili will study the disaster on the ground.