TBILISI, July 31 – The Dariali border crossing between Russia and Georgia was evacuated Thursday, due to an early warning system for glacier hazard being triggered.
Georgian authorities activated the warning system in the mountainous Devdoraki–Dariali area after sensors detected rises in water flow, typically an early sign of glacier melt or debris flow from the Devdoraki Glacier, which has a history of devastating surges.
The alert led to the forced evacuation of staff at the only border crossing between Russia and Georgia, including customs, border police, patrol officers, and private contractors, as well as the temporary closure of the nearby road in both directions. No injuries were reported, and multiple agencies remain on-site monitoring the situation.
Georgia’s Devdoraki valley has long been prone to glacial debris flows. In 2014, a surge from Devdoraki triggered a debris slide that destroyed infrastructure and caused fatalities. With regional glaciers retreating at increasingly rapid rates due to climate warming, experts warn that such events may become more frequent and unpredictable.
The broader Early Warning System is part of a nationwide effort, supported by international partners, to scale up real-time monitoring of hydrological hazards across Georgia, including flash floods and glacial outbursts, under a multi-hazard climate resilience programme. More than 1.7 million people in vulnerable areas are expected to benefit.
Georgia’s glacier-related risks are rising as average loss of ice mass accelerated from around 0.4% per year before 2000 to more than 1% from 2000 to 2020, bringing increased risk to communities below high-altitude glacier zones.