National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy 2017-2020 of Georgia

Due to the specific geographic location and complicated landscape, Georgia is rather vulnerable to various large-scale natural and man-made disasters substantially effecting the economic growth and sustainable development with damage to population, infrastructure and environment. Furthermore, during the recent decades, a significant increase in the frequency and intensity of hydrological, meteorological and geological hazards has been recorded in Georgia. In 2015 the damages caused only by the extreme geological and hydro meteorological events reached around 150 million Euros.

The Government of Georgia has adopted “National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy of Georgia 2017-2020” and its Action Plan, aiming at establishment of unified disaster risk reduction system on national and local levels and ensuring the strengthening of preparedness and response capabilities of the country.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy is in line with the four Priorities for Action of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction and aims at achieving the 7 Global Targets, as well as the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It is also, highly important to underline that the National Strategy fulfils the obligations undertaken within the “EU-Georgia Association Agreement” in regards to natural disasters.

The Georgian Government commitments on the disaster data loss collection methodology, early warning and alarm systems, international cooperation, the role of media, Geospatial data infrastructure, gender sensitive issues, people with disabilities, cooperation with the academic community, private and business sector are underlined within the National Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy that is believed to pave the way for risk reduction, building the disaster resilience community and achieving the ambitious targets of Sendai Framework in Georgia.

 

  

DRR activities (2016)

Several state institutions are mandated to deal with risk reduction issues through their respective programmes and within their specific sector. The National Environmental Agency (NEA), under the MENRP, is mandated to monitor ongoing hydro-meteorological, geodynamic and geological events, as well as to provide monitoring of environmental pollution, to issue license permits for the exploitation of natural resources, and to ensure the sound functioning of monitoring systems.

In 2016 in Tbilisi in 3 large landslide areas the monitoring network were installed and instrumental observations were launched, aiming to determine the mechanism and intensity of landslides.

   

With the support of the Czech Republic Development Agency, modern monitoring equipment (web-camera, water level meter, meteorological station, piezometer, inclinometer) were installed on 3 landslide-debrisflow areas in Aragvi gorge in Dusheti municipality, which provides online information about the dynamics of geological processes.

   

 

With the support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), in 2016, Geological Report of Gldaniskhevi Basin and Geological hazard Zoning Map (Scale: 1: 10 000) was published.

In 2016-2017 specialists of the Department of Geology of the National Environmental Agency of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP) have prepared 321 engineering-geodynamic conclusions (report) on the sustainability of the 1889 family housing and the homestead land and the relevant recommendations were made to carry out the protective measures.

The Department of Geology of the National Environmental Agency published an annual Geological bulletin - "Results of Development of Natural Geological Processes in 2016 and Forecast for 2017", hazard maps for all Regions and Municipalities, which reflects the situation of geological processes in all regions of Georgia.

The Early Warning System at Devdoraki Gorge

In autumn 2016 with the initiative of The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia (MENRP), the Swiss company "GEOTEST" installed a modern early warning system in the Amali-Devdoraki gorge (Kazbegi municipality), a system of data communication, which ensures smooth functioning of the early warning system. The system aim is timely fixation of natural disasters, that relevant agencies carry out the advance plan of evacuation in the threat zone.