Access to the Kodori Gorge is restricted after a mudslide.
Abkhaz authorities have urged drivers to avoid traveling toward the Kodori Gorge, where traffic is restricted following a mudslide.
As reported by the "Caucasian Knot," a state of emergency was declared in the Belorechensky District of Kuban on April 24 due to flooding. By April 26, the number of flooded yards had exceeded 230, with water also entering 48 private homes and a multi-story building. Flooding occurred in the surrounding areas of three settlements in the district, Kuban authorities reported on May 2.
The floods that occurred in late March and early April in the North Caucasus were among the most devastating in recent years. Six people died as a result of the flooding in Dagestan. Dagestan and Chechnya suffered the most from the natural disaster, according to the Caucasian Knot report "Spring Flooding in the North Caucasus-2026".
A mudflow occurred in the Kodori Gorge as a result of heavy rainfall, the Capital Construction Department of the Cabinet of Ministers of Abkhazia reported today on its website.
"Traffic in this area is completely restricted. Work is underway to eliminate the consequences of the emergency. Citizens are advised to avoid traveling in the direction of the gorge," the report states.
According to the Caucasian Knot weather service, moderate rain is expected in Sukhumi today, with light precipitation expected on the night of May 6. The weather service is a partnership between Caucasian Knot and Gismeteo. The service allows you to correct meteorological data for a more accurate forecast. The service is also available in a light version and in Caucasian Knot apps for Android and AndroidGO.
During the Georgian-Abkhazian War of 1992-93, the Kodori Gorge became the site of a standoff between Abkhaz and Georgian forces and eventually came under Georgian control. Abkhazia regained control of the Kodori Gorge in August 2008, according to a "Caucasian Knot" report on the 2008 Five-Day War.
As a reminder, on November 27, 2025, it was announced that, for the first time since the 2008 Five-Day War, repairs had begun on the tunnel in Abkhazia on the road to the Kodori Gorge. Authorities cited safety concerns as the reason for the repairs. The Abkhazian president explained that this is also the only road that provides access to the village of Lata.
The work will be carried out in two stages. The first stage involves reconstructing the tunnel, which was damaged, among other things, by landslides. The first phase of work will cost 205.5 million rubles, with completion planned for December 2026, TASS reported.
Repairing the tunnel and road to the Kodori Gorge will provide local residents with a safe route and increase the influx of tourists to Abkhazia, analysts interviewed by the "Caucasian Knot" stated.
They acknowledged that repairs are necessary. "Nothing has been repaired there since the 1960s, and there's more than enough work. Now, when you drive through the tunnels, in some places you don't know whether something will fall on you or not," one expert said.