Zugdidi-Mestia road closed due to rockfalls, landslides

The Zugdidi-Mestia road in western Georgia has been temporarily closed due to landslides and rockfalls, disrupting travel in the Mestia municipality, the Georgian Roads Department said on Thursday. 

The closure is attributed to a rock mass near the village of Khaishi, posing potential hazards to motorists. Frequent rockfalls in this area have prompted authorities to take precautionary measures.

The closure, initiated in the evening of January 3, was initially expected to be resolved by 8 am the following day, but the cleaning efforts are still underway, delaying the reopening.

Trailers and semi-trailers were temporarily banned from the Gudauri-Kobi section of the international Mtskheta-Stepantsminda-Larsi highway connecting Georgia with Russia in the north due to the adverse weather conditions, the agency said.