Armenia
Yerevan’s ‘unhealthy’ air provokes harsh reactions from residents
The high rates of air pollution in the Armenian capital remains a hot topic on social media.
A forest fire broke out on 8 August on Tbilisi’s Mount Mtatsminda, which overlooks the city, leaving more than two hectares of land devastated. No one was injured.
The fire broke out sometime between 21:30 and 22:00 in an area near the Mtatsminda amusement park. Heavy smoke could be seen throughout the city.
Rustavi 2 TV reported that around 70 firefighters with 11 fire engines battled to contain fire, before it spread to ‘inaccessible parts of the forest’.
According to posts on social media, local residents attempted to help put out the fire themselves.
The fire was ‘fully contained’ by midnight, according to the Interior Ministry.
Tbilisi’s Mayor Davit Narmania said that ‘helicopters are not used [to contain fire] at night due to security risks’.
He added there was now no danger of the fire spreading. Leaders of the ruling Georgian Dream party, as well as opposition parties, rushed to Mtatsminda Park soon after the fire broke out.
Five fire engines and 30 firefighters patrolled for the whole night to prevent the fire from re-surfacing.
The cause of the fire is not yet known, but authorities are investigating the possibility it was started due to negligence.
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