Azerbaijani environment ministry cites active landslide zones
By Sabina Idayatova
Azerbaijani Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources Huseyn Bagirov has said there are a lot of landslide zones due to the anthropogenic and man-made activities on the Absheron Peninsula that are activated with the onset of the season.
The minister told reporters that the main active landslide area in Azerbaijan is Shamakhi.
Bagirov noted that the ministry prepares weekly bulletins on the situation in the landslide areas.
"These papers are submitted to the heads of regional executive authorities, the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other entities involved in this sphere," Bagirov said. "The situation in the landslide zone is activated during heavy autumn rains. This is a natural process. Some of them are related to man-made reasons. We still have not gotten accustomed to working in accordance with the rules of nature, therefore, we will have to face problems."
Bagirov said that video cameras have been installed on the rivers where floods can occur.
According to Bagirov, cameras are mainly available on Kish, the most dangerous mountain river, and the Kura river, which is the cause of frequent flooding in the lowlands. But he added that at present, a flood threat is not expected in the rivers.
"Video cameras were set up on the rivers where flooding had been observed the most often, and anyone can monitor the situation there," Bagirov said.