One person dies, four injured as strong winds cause damage in western Georgia

One person died and four, including a minor, were injured on Tuesday evening as strong winds uprooted trees, downed power lines and caused property damage in western Georgia.

An uprooted tree hit a vehicle in the Black Sea coastline Kobuleti municipality in the Adjara region, killing one, while three were injured in the regional capital of Batumi.

A residential house also collapsed due to strong winds in the small town of Chakvi in the former municipality, leading to hospitalisation of an injured 68-year-old woman.

Photo via imedinews.ge/Darejan Chkhikvadze

Strong winds also tore up trees in several areas in Batumi, damaging cars and infrastructure, while fallen power poles caused traffic restrictions on the central highway connecting the city with the village of Makhinjauri.

Power line poles were also damaged and rooftops of residential houses torn off in the Ozurgeti and Senaki municipalities in Guria and Samegrelo regions in the west.

Photo via meyor of Ozurgeti Avtandil Talakvadze/Facebook

Ozurgeti City Hall said its services were operating in “emergency mode” to deal with the disruptions. Mayor Avtandil Talakvadze visited the affected areas and gave “relevant tasks” to municipal services.

Photo via meyor of Ozurgeti Avtandil Talakvadze/Facebook

The countrywide Emergency Management Agency said it had received dozens of emergency calls on issues caused by the adverse weather conditions, with the body saying its rescue and fire teams were “reacting based on the reports”.