Lightning strike kills more than 500 sheep in south Georgia

Around 550 sheep were killed during a lightning strike on Mount Abul in the Ninotsminda region in southern Georgia on August 9.

Deputy Mayor of Ninotsminda Artavaz Tonoiani says that there were about 1,500 sheep on the pasture which is located five kilometers from the village of Tambovka, Ninotsminda.

Part of the dead livestock belonged to a local farmer from Tambovka, and part to farmers from Kakheti.

Jnews shares a video provided by the farmer's son Yagor Levanov that shows killed sheep on the pasture.

The shepherd said that lightning had struck twice and the sheep had fallen, and asked for help from Ninotsminda City Hall. However, Tonoiani says that 'we do not have any official confirmation that the weather is really the cause'. 

The reasons will be determined by the veterinarian. The only thing we can do now is to allocate a place where the dead sheep will be buried", he said.

Also, a commission has been set up at the mayor's office to assess the loss.

The cost of one sheep on the market today averages 350 GEL (about $113.45).