Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia

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Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture Otar Shamugia is in the disaster zone of Oni municipality.

The Minister attended the meeting of the emergency headquarters for the liquidation of the Shovi disaster.

Mr. Shamugia expressed grief over the tragedy in the Shovi resort and condolences to the victims' relatives.
 According to the Minister of Environmental Protection and Agriculture, a group of geologists and hydrologists of the National Environmental Agency was on the ground in the shortest possible time after the development of the landslide processes; Six groups are carrying out not only visual inspection but also instrumental monitoring of the mentioned area.
According to experts, the tragedy in Racha that occurred on August 3 was caused by natural factors; at this point, there is no chance of aggravation of similar-scale disasters.

On August 3, in the afternoon, dangerous geological and hydro-meteorological events occurred in the Buba River valley, Shovi Resort, Oni municipality.

According to a preliminary assessment, the high air temperature background and the subsequent precipitations in the past months contributed to the intensive melting of glaciers, the collapse of the glacial mass and rock avalanche near the Buba glacier tongue, and the setting of the solid sediments in the valley in motion, while also developing active lateral erosion processes; the river banks were scourged and washed off. all mentioned above facilitated the formation and activation of the so-called coastal landslide processes, which later turned into mudslides.
Specialists of the National Environmental Agency continue to study the situation on the ground. Additional information will be provided to the public promptly.

Since 2014, the National Environmental Agency has intensively developed systems for observing natural processes. In recent years, especially in the last three years, more than 60 meteorological, hydrological and geological modern, automated observation systems have been installed in Western Georgia.

Maps of natural hazards are being developed throughout the country, and modern monitoring and forecasting systems are being adopted. However, predicting the rapidly developing natural processes of the complex nature mentioned above is associated with great difficulties worldwide.