Where's an ark when you need one? Apocalyptic scenes in Georgia as lions, bears, wolves and HIPPO are among dozens of animals to escape from zoo during freak flood in Tbilisi 

  • Flooding has destroyed enclosures at Tbilisi Zoo in Georgia allowing more than 30 dangerous animals to roam free
  • Among the animals to escape are six tigers, six lions, 20 wolves and a hippo, which was hit by a tranquiliser gun
  • Flash flooding in the Georgian capital has already killed up to 10 people including three who work at the zoo 
  • The zoo confirmed that one of the keepers that died had lost an arm after being attacked by a tiger last month 

By Jennifer Newton for MailOnline

Published: 04:00 EST, 14 June 2015 | Updated: 07:40 EST, 14 June 2015

The capital of Georgia has been placed on lockdown after heavy flooding destroyed enclosures at the city's zoo allowing tigers, lions, jaguars, wolves, jackals and a hippo to escape and roam the streets.

Residents in Tbilisi have been warned to stay indoors after more than 30 dangerous animals became free from the zoo after heavy rain and wind.

The flash floods have already killed up to 10 people including three workers who are employed at Tbilisi Zoo. 

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A hippo who escaped from a zoo in the Georgian capital Tbilisi after flash flood destroyed the animal's enclosures allowing them to roam the streets 

A hippo who escaped from a zoo in the Georgian capital Tbilisi after flash flood destroyed the animal's enclosures allowing them to roam the streets 

As well as the hippo, tigers, lions, bears and wolves has escaped for their pens, forcing the city to be placed on lockdown by authorities 

As well as the hippo, tigers, lions, bears and wolves has escaped for their pens, forcing the city to be placed on lockdown by authorities 

The escaped hippo was eventually cornered in the main square of Tbilisi and was subdued by being shot with a tranquiliser gun

The escaped hippo was eventually cornered in the main square of Tbilisi and was subdued by being shot with a tranquiliser gun

The zoo said one of the dead was Guliko Chitadze, a zookeeper who lost an arm in an attack by a tiger last month.

Some of the animals have been seized but it is unclear how many are still on the loose.

Eight bears and 20 wolves are also among the animals who fled from their enclosures as well as six tigers and six lions.

It has also been reported that six wolves were killed after they were found near to a children's hospital and a video showed locals trying to save an escaped bear. 

Before being cornered, pictures showed the large hippo wandering along a main street among stranded cars on a dual carriageway 

Before being cornered, pictures showed the large hippo wandering along a main street among stranded cars on a dual carriageway 

Residents of Tbilisi were being urged to stay indoors until authorities can track down all of the dangerous animals that escaped from their pens 

Residents of Tbilisi were being urged to stay indoors until authorities can track down all of the dangerous animals that escaped from their pens 

Helicopters are now circling the city of Tbilisi, which is home to around 1.1million people, to track down all of the escaped animals 

Helicopters are now circling the city of Tbilisi, which is home to around 1.1million people, to track down all of the escaped animals 

Some of the animals have been captured but others are thought to be still on the loose. Local people push along a hippo who escaped from the city zoo 

Some of the animals have been captured but others are thought to be still on the loose. Local people push along a hippo who escaped from the city zoo 

Men help to free a hippo that became stranded in Tbilisi's flood waters by pushing it along the street. Some of the animals were captured while others were shot dead  

The tranquilised hippo is pushed along the street in Tbilisi after escaping from the zoo during flash floods in the Georgian capital 

The tranquilised hippo is pushed along the street in Tbilisi after escaping from the zoo during flash floods in the Georgian capital 

Tbilisi Zoo spokeswoman Mzia Sharashidze said: 'Search for animals continues, but a large part of the zoo is simply non-existent. It was turned into a hellish whirlpool.

'Some 20 wolves, eight lions, white tigers, tigers, jackals, jaguars have either been shot dead by special forces or are missing. Only three out of our 17 penguins were saved.' 

Pictures from the Georgian capital have shown a large hippo wandering along a main street among stranded cars and in the city's main square.

A bear takes refuge on a window ledge of a building to escape from the flood waters below after escaping from a zoo. A total of eight bears broke free from the facility after their enclosure was destroyed 

A bear takes refuge on a window ledge of a building to escape from the flood waters below after escaping from a zoo. A total of eight bears broke free from the facility after their enclosure was destroyed 

A runaway bear sits on an air conditioning unit of a second floor building above the flooded street below as rescuers in a boat look on 

A runaway bear sits on an air conditioning unit of a second floor building above the flooded street below as rescuers in a boat look on 

A rescue worker tends to the body of a lion near to a flooded area of the zoo in Tbilisi after a deluge of heavy rain and wind overnight 

A rescue worker tends to the body of a lion near to a flooded area of the zoo in Tbilisi after a deluge of heavy rain and wind overnight 

The body of a dead animal lies in the grass outside a flooded zoo in Tbilisi. Heavy flooding destroyed many of the enclosures inside the zoo 

The body of a dead animal lies in the grass outside a flooded zoo in Tbilisi. Heavy flooding destroyed many of the enclosures inside the zoo 

People began posting pictures on Twitter of some of the other animals which are thought to have escaped. This picture reportedly shows wolves in the back of a truck, that were shot dead 

People began posting pictures on Twitter of some of the other animals which are thought to have escaped. This picture reportedly shows wolves in the back of a truck, that were shot dead 

The zoo's press service said that the hippo was eventually cornered in the main square before it was subdued with a tranquiliser gun.

Helicopters are now circling the city, which is home to around 1.1million people in a bid to track down all of the animals.

Heavy rains and wind hit Tbilisi last night, turning a normally small stream that runs through the hilly city into a surging river. The flooding also damaged dozens of houses.

Armed police stand on patrol in a flooded street in Tbilisi, where six tigers, six lions and eight bears broke free from their enclosures 

Armed police stand on patrol in a flooded street in Tbilisi, where six tigers, six lions and eight bears broke free from their enclosures 

Heavy rains and wind have battered Tbilisi, and the flash floods have already killed up to 10 people in the Georgian capital, including three zoo workers 

Heavy rains and wind have battered Tbilisi, and the flash floods have already killed up to 10 people in the Georgian capital, including three zoo workers 

Cars and debris are seen floating along the once busy streets of Tbilisi which has been turned into wasteland by the freak weather 

Cars and debris are seen floating along the once busy streets of Tbilisi which has been turned into wasteland by the freak weather 

City mayor David Narmania told journalists that at least eight people were known to have died in the floods which also damaged dozens of homes 

City mayor David Narmania told journalists that at least eight people were known to have died in the floods which also damaged dozens of homes 

City mayor David Narmania told journalists that eight people were known to have died and 10 others were missing.

It is estimated that the floods have caused £6.5million worth of damage. 

Vice mayor of Tbilisi Irakly Lekvinadze added: 'Dozens of families remain homeless as their houses were destroyed or damaged in the capital.' 

Dozens of families are also left without shelter and thousands are without a water or electricity supply. 

Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili sent his condolences to the victims' families as he visited the affected area to observe the clean-up operation.

Local people and rescuers wade through the flood waters in the Georgian capital after heavy rainfall and wind turned the Vere River into a torrent sweeping away buildings and car 

Local people and rescuers wade through the flood waters in the Georgian capital after heavy rainfall and wind turned the Vere River into a torrent sweeping away buildings and car 

Rescuers work to evacuate a woman and two children from the dangerous flood waters. Up to 10 people have been killed and another 10 are missing

Rescuers work to evacuate a woman and two children from the dangerous flood waters. Up to 10 people have been killed and another 10 are missing

'The human losses that we have suffered are very hard to tolerate. I express my condolences to all the people who lost their relatives,' Margvelashvili told local TV.

Meanwhile the head of the Georgian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Ilia II, was quoted by the Interfax news agency as telling a Sunday Mass that Georgia's former Communist rulers could be seen as involved in the disaster.

He said: 'When Communists came to us in this country, they ordered that all crosses and bells of the churches be melted down and the money used to build the zoo.

'The sin will not go without punishment. I am very sorry that Georgians fell so that a zoo was built at the expense of destroyed churches.' 

 

 

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