This story is free to read.

Search on for people, zoo animals missing in Georgia flood

A rhinoceros escaped from a flooded zoo walks inside the zoo in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, June 14, 2015. Severe flooding in the Georgian capital left at least 12 people dead Sunday and triggered a big-game hunt across the city for lions, tigers, a hippopotamus and other dangerous animals that escaped from Tbilisi's ravaged zoo. (AP Photo/Tinatin Kiguradze) A rhinoceros escaped from a flooded zoo walks inside the zoo in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sunday, June 14, 2015. Severe flooding in the Georgian capital left at least 12 people dead Sunday and triggered a big-game hunt across the city for lions, tigers, a hippopotamus and other dangerous animals that escaped from Tbilisi's ravaged zoo. (AP Photo/Tinatin Kiguradze)

By Associated Press June 15, 2015 1 min read

TBILISI, Georgia (AP) – Rescue workers in the Georgian capital are still searching for at least two dozen people and an undetermined number of potentially dangerous animals missing after severe flooding ravaged the city’s zoo and left at least 12 people dead.

Tbilisi zoo director Zurab Gurielidze said Monday that none of the people who died was killed by the zoo animals set free in the flooding. Three zoo employees drowned.

Among the animals that fled the flooded zoo were lions, tigers, bears, wolves and a hippopotamus. Some, including the hippopotamus, were tranquilized and returned to the zoo. Others were shot by police, while others remain missing.

Gurielidze said it was still not possible to access the cages to assess the damage and count the animals on the loose.