Unknown substance leaks in Daba Chokhatauri
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Monday, June 30
Due to leak of an unidentified substance which experts believe may have been liquid chlorine, eight families were evacuated from Chokhatauri, Aghmashenebeli Street on June 28.
According to the locals, one of the residents of the street found three cylinders several days ago. “We were collecting cylinders to sell later as scrap metal. Our neighbor found them and tried to open them. Then we saw a white smoke. The next day plants were dried up,” Varlam Ramishvili said.
Nino Kvashilava, resident of the street, stated that on that day she and several locals felt bad and had to call an ambulance. “There was a strange smell all over the place, first we thought it was nothing to worry about, but later we just had no choice, because our health condition was getting worse,” Kvashilava said.
According to Rusudan Tavartkiladze, they lost all vegetation. “Everything is destroyed, even the grass, I hope that our governor will help us,” said Tavartkiladze.
Tamaz Jincharadze, the deputy governor of the region, stated that the municipality will start calculating losses as soon as it will be possible. “We will do our best to help people,” Jincharadze stated.
Experts are currently examining the substance, though they believe it to be liquid chlorine. Liquid chlorine is classified as a high risk substance. It has irritating and poisonous properties. It does burn, it is a powerful oxidizer, promotes the combustion of many organic substances and when brought in contact with flammable substances can be combustible. When it is brought in contact with hydrogen, it creates an explosive admixture.
Chlorine poisoning symptoms are coughing, dry mouth, vomiting, chest pain, severe pain in the upper part of the stomach, headache, dizziness, feeling of general weakness and fever.
