TBILISI, November 19 – Georgia is seeing unusually high air pollution levels this week, with the government reporting elevated concentrations of fine dust above several cities.
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 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.
At the same time, Georgia is experiencing a separate problem: eight of the country’s air-monitoring stations are currently experiencing technical disruptions, limiting access to some real-time data. The agency stressed that the outages are temporary and that data will be restored as soon as repairs are completed.
One of the affected stations is located in Varketili, a district of Tbilisi, where access is restricted because the station is being relocated. Several other stations in Tbilisi, Rustavi, Batumi, Zugdidi and Kutaisi are partially offline due to technical faults. A station in Mestia is also currently unable to transmit data.
Despite the gaps in monitoring, the available measurements show clearly elevated levels of fine particles. These are the pollutants most closely linked to respiratory problems, as they can penetrate deep into the lungs. The National Environment Agency says its specialists continue to take readings and analyze samples across the country, and it reiterated that the current spike is linked to dust transport rather than industrial emissions.
The agency emphasized that PM10 and PM2.5 levels depend heavily on synoptic conditions. A shift in wind direction or rainfall would help clear the air. For now, the authorities expect particle levels to gradually decrease over the coming days as the desert dust disperses.
Georgia has seen several episodes of airborne desert dust in recent years, caused by shifting air masses from the Middle East and Central Asia. During these events, health officials typically advise children, elderly people and those with respiratory conditions to avoid prolonged outdoor exposure.
