Heavy Snowfall Kills One
One man died and hundreds of cars were trapped as a result of heavy snowfall in some rural areas in Georgia.
Thousands were left without electricity in Shida Kartli region as power lines were damaged by snowfall. Energy Minister Aleksandre Khetaguri said repair work was underway and he expected power supply would be restored later on February 21.
An avalanche in the Ninotsminda district of Samtskhe-Javakheti region killed a man inspecting gas pipelines in the region. At least three others were injured, Georgian media sources reported.
“Because of bad weather, road conditions are dangerous and power supply is threatened,” President Saakashvili said earlier on February 21 before his departure to Moscow. He said that rescue teams had been mobilized last night to help those trapped in the snow. “The interior minister [Vano Merabishvili] was personally leading the operation,” he said.
He also said that the situation was still “very difficult” in Shida Kartli, as well as in several regions of western Georgia. Saakashvili said that the Georgian authorities had requested Armenian help in rescue operations along the border in the Samtskhe-Javakheti region.
“We are working to restore electricity supply. I have allocated money to repair the damages,” President Saakashvili said. “I want each citizen of Georgia to know that we will not leave any of them without attention. I have already given instructions to compensate the losses incurred by the population.”
