Dozens of highland villages cut off from outside world due to heavy rainfall in western Georgia
The high mountainous village Ushguli is also disconnected and has been left without electricity; the Mestia-Ushguli road is flooded. Photo: ipn.ge.
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More than 20 villages have been cut off from the outside world in western Georgian’s Lentekhi municipality due to heavy rainfall.
As a result of the continuous rain, the Tskhenistskali river overflowed, which swept away substations and left four villages without electricity.
Mayor of Lentekhi municipality Badri Liparteliani told on.ge that traffic on the connecting central section of Kutaisi-Tskaltubo-Lentekhi-Lasdili is paralysed.
He said that the opening of the central road is the most important objective for now, noting that ‘the service of the emergency management and traffic department is mobilised on the spot.’
All types of traffic are banned in the section of the Zugdidi-Jvari-Mestia-Lasdili highway due to the overflowed Enguri river as well.
Georgian Roads Department stated that they are working on an issue ‘in order to restore the traffic in the shortest possible time.’
Mestia municipality in the Svaneti region is also dealing with severe consequences of natural disaster.
The high mountainous village Ushguli is also disconnected and has been left without electricity; the Mestia-Ushguli road is flooded.
The National Environment Agency announced that rain with thunderstorms is expected in Georgia from time to time, in some places possible hail and strong wind are as well expected until July 29.
Heavy rain has hit some municipalities in the Georgian regions of Adjara, Imereti and Shida Kartli today and yesterday, causing landslides and damage to roads, bridges and agricultural lands.
A disintegrating cliffside section has blocked access to northeastern Georgia's Gudamakari Valley, with preparations underway for clearing the road and reconnecting villages of the mountainous area to locations to the south.
Heavy rain has caused landslides 14 km from Mestia municipality in the villages of Zhabe and Muzhali of Mulakhi community. The Mayor of Mestia, Kapiton Zhorzholiani told Interpressnews that eight families are cut off from the outside world.
The villages of Choluris Temi and Lashkhetis Temi in Lentekhi municipality have been cut off following flooding western Georgian region of Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti as a result of heavy rains early this morning.
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.
Heavy rainfall has hit Black Sea coastal cities in Georgia today, including in Batumi and Ureki where flooding took place. Dozens of streets, homes and shopping facilities have been flooded in Batumi while in Ureki along with houses the police station was flooded to the point that law enforcers were unable to enter the building.
A rockfall on the Zugdidi-Jvari-Mestia highway near the village of Barjash has blocked the only road to Zemo Svaneti in west Georgia.