Georgia Reports High Air Pollution Levels in Five Cities

Georgia is experiencing unusually high levels of air pollution this week, with the government reporting increased concentrations of fine dust in several cities, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

The new data was released Wednesday, November 19, by the National Environment Agency and shows solid particle pollution has spiked in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi and Batumi, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

The agency’s online air quality portal shows that concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 have been rising since November 6. Officials say the surge is caused by large masses of desert dust drifting into the region from the south, a natural phenomenon that has affected the Caucasus several times in recent years. The agency noted that cross-border dust pollution has weakened slightly compared with previous days and is expected to continue declining as weather patterns shift.