Hydrological station “did not record any changes” in river before landslide disaster in west, says Environment Minister

Georgian Environment Minister Otar Shamugia on Monday said the hydrological station installed on the Chanchakhi river in the west of the country had “not recorded any changes” in the water in the 24 hours before the landslide hit the adjacent Shovi resort and killed at least 18 last week.

Shamugia said a “sudden surge of water” had only been detected by the station measurements at the moment the landslide hit the resort in Oni municipality of Racha region.

He also reiterated results of the preliminary report by the National Environmental Agency, released on Monday, that said a collapse of rock formations had collided with a glacier in the locality and, combined with erosion effects, had kick-started the landslide that destroyed cottages in the resort.

• Glacier melting, erosion, heavy rains causes of Shovi resort landslide - National Environmental Agency preliminary report

He also said professionals involved in the studies had also proposed the idea that a body of water had accumulated under the glacier, contributing to the eventual development.

Glacier melting is a result of climate change, and climate change is a challenge for the whole world today, and we see that the process of glacier melting has been actively taking place in recent years”, Shamugia said.

A “more accurate” report on the disaster will be released “at a later date”, the official also noted.