S. Ossetian official: nearly 1,500 died

TBILISI, Georgia, Aug. 20 (UPI) -- Officials in South Ossetia said nearly 1,500 residents were killed in Georgia's military operation in the breakaway province.

Officials of the breakaway republic earlier said the number dead topped 2,000 while Russia -- which sent troops into the area and overwhelmed Georgian forces -- estimated the death toll at 1,600, the Russian news agency RIA-Novosti reported Wednesday.

However, independent reports on the number dead showed lower numbers.

"At a meeting of the emergency commission on dealing with the consequences of Georgia's act of aggression, it was announced that 1,492 people were killed in Georgia's attack on South Ossetia," government spokeswoman Irina Gagloyeva said.

Gagloyeva also said Georgia's military was holding more than 170 prisoners.

Destruction in the province's capital, Tskhinvali, include cutting off gas and electricity supplies as well as destroying the water supply utilities, she said. Electricity was partially restored Wednesday and Russia's chief sanitary official said water supplies would be restored soon.