Wind causes severe damage in different regions of Georgia

Strong wind caused much damage throughout various regions of Georgia on October 20 bringing with it around 1 million GEL in damages and an additional several million in restoration work in the Adjara region.

Adjara became target of a grade 5 storm and as a result the shores of Batumi, Poti and Kobuleti were flooded. The newly built boulevard was also damaged. According to Batumi Mayor, Jemal Ananidze, infrastructure and pedestrian paths have been damaged on the boulevard. Clearing-up operations were immediately underway to deal with the storm damage.

Ananidze said the storm continued during the day damaging the Batumi seaside. “Cafes and restaurants near the seaside were seriously damaged. As for the boulevard infrastructure, street lights, chairs and paths were affected. The sea washed the bottom of the pedestrian paths and seriously damaged them,” stated Ananidze.

The storm also caused problems to ships in Poti. A ship loaded with 35 trucks that had left the harbor the day before went out of control because of the storm. A five-story house was left without a roof in Gori as well.

The storm did not result in any casualties. However, according to the local municipality, the total damage and losses will be counted.

Georgian Dream representative, Dimitri Khundadze, who is the Deputy Mayor of Mtskheta, said that this is already the eighth case, when an already rehabilitated, newly roofed buildings were damaged.

“This is the excess of the plural expanses, excess of the waste of time,” Khundadze said, stressing that he had a phone conversation with the Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Davit Narmania and the commission said it would survey the exact amount of damage caused by the rainstorm. “Afterwards funds will be used to replace the roofs,” he said.

Bad weather restricted motor vehicle traffic on Goderzi Pass. Half meter height snow and a snowstorm impeded movement in the direction of Batumi-Akhalkalaki road. However, meteorologists forecast good weather from October 21.