Landslide hit Georgia-Russia road reopens in two weeks
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One major road through the Caucasus connecting Georgia to Russia blocked by this week’s landslide should be reopened in two weeks, says a Georgian official.
Traffic has been prohibited along the Georgian Military Road that weaves alongside the Tergi River since Wednesday evening’s landslide but work had begun to reopen the road as soon as possible.
Fresh mudslides through Dariali Gorge blocked the main road leading to the Kazbegi-Larsi Custom Service point with Russia late on August 20.
The disaster claimed the life of one man and one more is missing.
Secretary of the State’s Security and Crisis Management Council Mindia Janelidze believed at least two weeks was needed for the affected roads to be fixed.
"This is only the preliminary assessment as the scale of the damage and the work needed to fix the roads has not yet been determined,” Janelidze said.
As well damaging the roads, Wednesday’s disaster caused severe flooding in the area, particularly the Kazbegi-Larsi Customs checkpoint.
"The Custom Service’s infrastructure was seriously damaged. Water entered the Customs building. The working places of staff including police officers and customers are smashed,” Janelidze said.
Kazbegi-Larsi Customs checkpoint after the landslide. Photo by mrdi.gov.ge
The Ministry of Finance has organised a special commission to evaluate the loss caused by the disaster.
In addition, mudslide caused major damage to the North-South gas pipeline that transported natural gas from Russia to Armenia thorough Georgia. As a result, gas has been temporarily disabled from travelling along this route.
Heavy equipment of Road Department has been taken to the site and staff have already begun clearing the road.
Wednesday’s landslide occurred near the fatal landslide which struck Dariali Gorge on May 17, a few kilometers south from the Kazbegi-Zemo Larsi border-crossing point with Russia. The road was blocked for almost a month. That disaster claimed the lives of five people.
Heavy rain was believed to be the cause of the landslide.
Georgia’s President is in Dariali Gorge to offer his support following a landslide late last night in Devdoraki Gorge, near Kazbegi and the Russian border.
Heavy rain was believed to be the cause of the landslide, which struck yesterday in Devdoraki Gorge, near Kazbegi and the Russian border.
Early this morning a section of mountainside collapsed and caused a landslide near Gveleti village, in the Kazbegi region.
International experts tasked with investigating the landslide in Dariali Gorge have presented their initial findings, which includes installing an automatic early warning system to alert locals of a possible disaster.
Earthquake experts are monitoring seismic activity on Mount Kazbek following the devastating landslide in Dariali Gorge, northern Georgia, on May 17.
The landslide disaster in Dariali Gorge was caused by extreme movements of an icy glacier located high on a mountain peak, experts say.
One person has died and another is missing following this week’s landslide in Devdoraki Gorge, near Kazbegi and the Russian border.
The major road through the Caucasus connecting Georgia to Russia has reopened after being blocked by a landslide for about 10 days.
Georgia will develop new mechanisms to quickly respond and tackle the effects of natural disasters.