On May 21–22, employees of the “Geomorphology and Paleogeography” Laboratory of the Institute of Geography under the Ministry of Science and Education - Stara Tarikhazar, Samira Abushova, and Shahla Ismayilova - conducted research on the consequences of landslides, rockfalls, and mudflows caused by intense precipitation in the Ismayilli-Shamakhi region during late March, early April, and May.

According to the Institute’s researchers, the investigations revealed serious damage in the Ismayilli-Shamakhi region. The 17th kilometer of the Lahij-Demirchi road and the Ismayilli-Lahij highway were severely damaged by landslides and rockfalls, making them unusable. In addition, 80 hectares of land in the Lahij settlement became completely unsuitable for agricultural use.

The approximately 22-kilometer-long Ismayilli-Lahij highway is not only a scenic mountain serpentine road for tourism, but also a unique, dynamic, and extremely complex engineering-geological объект. The road stretches along canyons and steep mountain ridges on the southern slope of the Greater Caucasus. The main geological features of the route determine its harsh “character.” The road crosses the structures of the Niyaldagh ridge. From a geomorphological point of view, this area is an intensive uplift zone.

Sedimentary and flysch rocks dating back to the Cretaceous and Jurassic periods dominate the region, especially layered clay shales, marls, limestones, and heavily weathered sandstones. Due to constant tectonic processes, the rocks have undergone severe deformation, cracking, and physical weathering. They easily crumble and turn into loose debris masses.

The road constantly faces manifestations of exogenous geological processes. Along the Girdimanchay River, the vertical and steep canyon walls continuously lose stability. The falling of large rock fragments onto the roadway is a frequent occurrence. Large-scale rockfalls are recorded here every year. For example, significant sections of the road were blocked in June 2023 and recently again on May 20 and 22, 2026. One of the fallen rocks weighed approximately 150 tons.

Landslides occurring in the territories of Namazgah, Duryan, Garagaya villages, as well as the Basgal and Lahij settlements and other residential areas, pose particular danger. When clay shales become saturated with water, they lose their cohesion and, under the influence of gravity, literally begin to “slide” downslope together with the roadbed.

Moreover, the highway is practically trapped between steep slopes and the flood-prone channel of the Girdimanchay River. During spring snowmelt and intense torrential rains, mudflows erode the foundations of road embankments and activate slope processes. Water flow continuously deepens the canyon, increasing the steepness of surrounding slopes and causing new rockfalls.

The Ismayilli-Lahij road remains under constant geological risk. The combination of weak and heavily fractured sedimentary rocks, steep slopes, and abundant precipitation requires daily monitoring and the continuous use of heavy machinery by Azerbaijan’s road services to clear rockfalls. Maintaining a stable