NEA: Visual Inspection of Devdoraki Gorge reveals no signs of slope collapses or rockfalls near glacier

At 06:22 on 25 September, the early warning system installed in the Devdoraki Gorge detected a mudflow and instantly transmitted an alarm to the Larsi (Dariali) border crossing, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) reported.

The agency confirmed that a visual inspection found no evidence of slope failure or rockfall activity in the vicinity of the glacier.

“The passage of the mudflow caused a brief damming of the Tergi River by the Devdoraki River, giving rise to a surge wave. Within the vicinity of the border crossing checkpoint, the riverbed and floodplain safely accommodated the resulting flow. Water levels in the gorge reached approximately four metres. Furthermore, erosion along the right bank of the river damaged a section of the Georgian Military Road between the 134th and 135th kilometres.

This alarm system was installed in the Devdoraki River Gorge by the National Environmental Agency, and its effectiveness has been proven and tested for gorges situated near road infrastructure, enabling immediate implementation of protocol-defined actions.

According to the National Environmental Agency, the current threat level in the Devdoraki Gorge is minimal. In coordination with the Emergency Management Agency, Patrol Police, Revenue Service, Border Police, Kazbegi Municipality, and the administration of the Dariali Hydroelectric Power Plant, the agency has issued a recommendation to reopen the road.

The warning system in the Devdoraki Gorge remains fully operational, and should any similar events recur, the alarm will trigger immediately,” the National Environmental Agency statement reads.