Most of Abkhazia without electricity due to power line accident

SUKHUM. July 31 (Interfax) - Most of Abkhazia experienced an outage on Wednesday morning as a result of an accident on a power line in the Ochamchira district.

The accident was caused by a lighting strike, which damaged the Ochamchira high-voltage 220-kilovolt line, the Abkhaz company Chernomorenergo said on Wednesday. The accident caused an outage in parts of the country's capital Sukhum and in the entire western part of Abkhazia - in the Sukhum, Gudauta and Gagra districts, where the country's main resorts are located.

The Chernomorenergo press service said at noon that several more hours will be needed to restore the power supply in the country.

"The situation at the accident site is complicated by the damage of the traverses on the support due to metal fatigue. The necessary materials and equipment have been sent from Sukhum. A backup supply line was activated in Sukhum to supply power to three substations. A temporary local schedule will be introduced at these stations at 3:00 p.m., which will remain in effect until the repair work is over. Four to five hours will be needed to repair the lines," it said.

Trains en route to the country are delayed, the administration of the Abkhaz Railway told reporters.