Strong winds, heavy rainfall, snow affect Georgia’s western municipalities

Strong winds and heavy rainfall affected municipalities in western Georgian regions between Monday and Tuesday, causing damage to buildings, and causing floods and landslides in some areas.

Strong overnight winds affected the country's western Tsalenjikha municipality, damaging 30 residential houses in inner areas of the city of the same name and several villages of the municipality, uprooting trees, and causing delays on the central highways, the Municipality’s City Hall said on Tuesday.

It also said a majority of residents had been left without power supply, adding restoration of power was expected to be gradually completed throughout the day, with professionals from Energo-Pro Georgia company working in affected areas.

Strong winds damaged the roof of the public school in the village of Rukhi in western Zugdidi municipality, interrupting the classes, while some villages were left without power. Special services have been dispatched to the affected areas.

Overflowing river Enguri in western Georgia's Black Sea town of Anaklia flooded surrounding areas and residential houses of seven families near the riverbed.

In his comments, Giorgi Guguchia, the State Representative of the Samegrelo-Zemo-Svaneti region, said 19 citizens and vehicles had been evacuated from the central road of the Mestia Highway in the north-west following an avalanche, and noted “all municipal services” were working in emergency mode and the damage would be assessed on-site by a commission.

Snow and heavy rain caused landslides in some areas of mountainous parts of the Adjara region in the country’s west, affecting local and central highways in the Abasha, Shuakhevi and Keda municipalities, with relief works underway.