When we talk about the development of a disaster of such a scale, the development of a complex disaster, in the opinion of our specialists, it is practically impossible to predict a disaster of a similar scale in advance, said today the first Deputy Minister of Environment Protection and Agriculture, Nino Tandilashvili.

“We understand that there is a great deal of public interest in the background of these developments, particularly in relation to the research carried out by the National Environment Agency [NEA]. Regarding the initial conclusion that was published a few days ago.

Today, we want to provide the public with additional information that once again supports the description that was given in the 1st conclusion.

To make it clear to the citizens, about half a million cubic rock-avalanche mass was cut from the Bubistskali valley, which was spread over an area of 1.5 hectares. About 62 hectares of ice mass was carried as a result of the breakaway and passed through the entire valley at a very high speed.

The satellite data, which we received from international partners, relevant institutions of the UN, are presented. These data support the consideration that there was no damming of water mass in the valley before the disaster. Neither before the disaster nor during the disaster was there a decrease in the water level.

The satellite data shows that there was no water mass and lake damming, it was an instantaneous collapse of a rock mass, a half million cubic mass collided with a glacial mass, causing a breakthrough and bringing it down to Shovi in no time.

Since 2014, the state has practically started developing early warning systems from scratch. This process includes the installation of relevant types of stations, devices that allow our forecasters, relevant specialists to predict the weather and expected natural processes early. A number of stations of this type were located throughout Georgia. Today there are 200 stations, 100 more are being installed. When we talk about the development of a disaster of such a scale, the development of a complex disaster, in the opinion of our specialists, it is practically impossible to predict a disaster of a similar scale in advance. I want everyone to know this very well and to provide information to the public asap.

The initial conclusion and the information published by the NEA are additionally confirmed by the information provided by our international partners, so I ask all specialists who know how such conclusions are made, not to mislead the public in advance”, - explained Nino Tandilashvili.