Flood disaster in Georgia capital: Tbilisi, kills 12, rendered zoo animals free (Lions, tigers, bears) and roaming about streets.

Flood disaster in Georgia capital: Tbilisi, kills 12, rendered zoo animals free (Lions, tigers, bears) and roaming about streets.

Some wild animals roamed the streets of Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia, on Sunday, after raging floodwaters damaged the city's zoo and set many of the animals free. Twelve people died in the flooding, according to Civil Georgia, a news website run by the nongovernmental organization UN Association of Georgia.

Several others were missing, and wolves, bears, big

cats

and even a hippopotamus were wandering the streets of the city, according to Civil.ge, a news agency funded by the EU and the UN.

Of the zoo's 600 residents, including fish and birds, about half were missing on Sunday, theTbilisi Zoo said.

Some animals have been recaptured, Civil.ge reported. Others have been killed.

Also among the escapees were lions, tigers, bears and wolves, the agency reported. Georgia's prime minister, Irakli Garibashvili, asked residents to stay home while the animals are rounded up.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs also urged everyone to stay indoors but said in a statement that the situation was "under full control."

All efforts are being made to find the animals quickly, "give them injections," and get them back into the zoo, the ministry said.

Two employees of the zoo were among the fatalities.