Falling tree kills one in Georgia’s west as severe weather continues

A man was killed by a falling tree in Georgia’s west on Friday as strong winds, snowfall and low temperatures continued to cause disruptions across the country.

• Heavy snowfall, strong winds cause disruptions across Georgia

The fatal accident took place in the Lanchkhuti municipality in the western region of Guria, where strong winds knocked over about 50 trees and damaged up to 100 houses, power poles and gas pipes, leaving dozens of local residents without electricity and gas. 

In the western Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti region, Government Representative Giorgi Guchuchia on Friday said extreme weather and winds had damaged 966 houses and 38 residential blocks, in addition to two ambulatory buildings, five kindergartens, five public schools and 10 administrative buildings in the municipality, with 114 administrative facilities left without power. 

Movement of railers and semi-trailers have been restricted on the Kobi-Gudauri section of of the international Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Larsi highway. Photo: Georgia's Roads Department press office. 

The country’s Roads Department said round-the-clock road clearing works of its agencies and use of units of special equipment had led to traffic being reopened for all types of vehicles on almost all highways across the country.

It also said heavy snowfall meant restrictions were still being maintained on trucks and semi-trucks on several sections of roads in the country’s mountainous regions. 

The infrastructural body said the Gudauri-Kobi section of the international Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Larsi highway, connecting to the border with Russia in the country’s north, as well as the kilometre 1-52 section of the Gomi-Sachkhere-Chiathura-Zestaponi highway from eastern to western Georgia was off limits to trailers and semi-trailers. 

One section where traffic for all types of vehicles has been suspended due to the heavy snowfall and fog is the Nichbisi-Didgori-Didi Toneti section in the east, the Department added. 

Forecasters expect wind speeds to decrease in the coming days, with rainless weather expected across the country for the next week.