Georgia to Reopen Russia-Georgia Border Crossing After Mudslide

Authorities in Georgia have lifted a previous glacier alert and declared the border area between Russia and Georgia safe, recommending the reopening of the Dariali border crossing.

The National Environment Agency lifted its mudslide alert in the mountainous Devdoraki Valley, after confirming that water levels have returned to normal, and no new mudflows or flooding have been recorded. The agency has recommended reopening the affected road, The Caspian Post reports citing foreign media.

The alert was triggered on July 31 when an early warning system detected a high-risk mudflow and immediately notified the nearby Lars border checkpoint. Authorities quickly restricted traffic as a precaution.

Heavy rainfall had caused landslides and flash floods in several tributaries of the Tergi River, temporarily damming the flow near the village of Tsdo. Drone surveys were used to assess the risk, and the blockage has since cleared.

The automated warning system, installed in past years due to glacier-related disasters in the region, is credited with helping prevent damage to infrastructure in the Dariali Gorge.

In May 2014, five people were killed when a mudslide struck the gorge after ice from the Devdoraki Glacier came loose. The disaster also caused extensive damage to roads and a hydropower plant, and spurred a debate about warning systems in light of further warming trends.

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