Powerful rain floods cities in western Georgia

Many of the streets of Georgia’s third largest city of Kutaisi have been flooded after a river expanded over its riverbed following a heavy rainfall.

The National Environment Agency says that in Kutaisi, the amount of rainfall that was expected during one month came in 12 hours.

The city drainage system faced problems handling this amount of water and measures needed to be taken all night long to ease the situation, Kutaisi City Hall representative Gela Gagua told online newspaper Netgazeti.

Kutaisi neighbourhood this morning. Photo source: Natia Sokhadze / Facebook

The flood water reached the Kutaisi office of the National Agency of Public Registry too, which meant the office can't serve citizens today.

Two public schools of the city have also severely affected by the weather. Children and teachers were evacuated from the schools by rescue officers.

Two schools were evacuated after flood water reach the basements and first floors of the buildings. Photo source: MIA's press office.

Streets have been flooded in the town of Ozurgeti in western Guria region too. The scale of the flood meant cars were unable to drive across the town.

Basements and first floors of houses have filled with water in the town and nearby villages.

Poti port city in the Samegrelo region has also faced major traffic problems due to flooded roads.

Weather experts expect a powerful, magnitude-seven storm at the Black Sea coastline later today.

Intense rainfall is expected across the whole country today. Mountainous regions might even see some snowfall so the Road Department warned drivers to put their winter tires on.