Harsh winter hits Georgia in full force

Winter is in full force in Georgia.

Heavy snowfall and unusually strong frosts closed 200 schools across the country.

Deep snow cover blocked roads in western Georgia. Photo: Kobuleti Municipality; ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი/Facebook

Ice, low visibility and deep snow cover is causing major problems on roads throughout Georgia. Holidaymakers today were unable to reach Georgia’s top ski resort Gudauri, as an avalanche threat in the area saw officials close the road.

Meanwhile other roads linking several municipalities in eastern Kakheti region was only open to traffic with anti-skid chains.

The Adjara region in western Georgia’s Black Sea coastal area faced the biggest problems last night and this morning; snow cover reached one metre in Adjara’s main city Batumi.

Frozen Lake

Photographer: Lana Oragvelidze. Source: ბათუმი/Batumi/Facebook

For the first time in the past three decades Nurigeli Lake in central Batumi froze. In the city’s history the lake has previously frozen only four times; in 1911, 1928, 1949 and 1985.

Isolated villages 

Photo: Kobuleti Municipality; ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი/Facebook

Roads linking Adjara’s municipal centres and mountain villages were blocked by snow. Off-Road Club Adjara members offered their cars to doctors as ambulances were unable to reach patients in remote villages.

Canceled flights 

Bad weather has affected the normal functioning of Batumi International Airport. Heavy snow cancelled Batumi-Istanbul and Istanbul-Batumi flights. The Airport Administration was unsure when the facility could resume its normal flight schedule.

Photo: Kobuleti Municipality; ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი/Facebook

In Kobuleti Municipality thick snow cover destroyed the roof of a residential house, leaving a four-person family with no shelter.

Problems arose in Guria and Imereti regions too. Heavy machinery cleaned roads all night after heavy snow blocked the routes.

Central and local Governments worked together to cope with the problems caused by snow in western Georgia. Photo: Kobuleti Municipality; ქობულეთის მუნიციპალიტეტი/Facebook

Several hundred families were left without electricity and water supply after snow and frost destroyed wires and pipes.

In these areas the weather has slightly improved this afternoon. Snow has stopped falling and electricity supply has been mainly restored.

Georgia’s weather officials said temperatures throughout the country would be below zero tonight but from tomorrow frosts would gradually weaken.