site.btaSituation In Bulgaria Remains Complicated after Torrential Rain

Situation Remains
Complicated after
Torrential Rain


Sofia, December 6 (BTA) - Interior Ministry officers on Saturday
 continued their efforts to mitigate the effects of rain-induced
 floods as weather forecasters predicted that heavy rain will
continue in Bulgaria. Firefighters and rescuers carried out more
 than 100 emergency rescue activities. The situation remained
complicated in the southern regions of Yambol, Sliven, Stara
Zagora and Haskovo and the northern region of Vidin.

Interior Minister Vesselin Vouchkov, Transport Minister Ivaylo
Moskovski and Environment Minister Ivelina Vassileva visited
some of the worst hit areas. All competent crews were
contributing to the effort. A national emergency centre was
handling the critical situation in the southern municipalities
of Elhovo and Gulubovo, Vassileva said, speaking to BTA.

Twenty-six communities in Vidin Region, by the Danube River,
were left without electricity due to power line icing and power
transformer failures. The local electricity operator sent 144
workers to repair the damages. Another 17 localities in Vidin
Region had their power supply restored by Saturday morning.
Twelve population centres have no running water as pump stations
 went out of order.

Experts are watching the water level in rivers in the seaside
Varna Region. The Kamchia River level was falling. Controlled
draining of dams and other water bodies in the region continued.

In Stara Zagora Region, the water level in all dams was being
lowered in a controlled manner through floodgates. A state of
disaster was declared in the municipalities of Radnevo and
Gulubovo.

A protective dyke broke on the Roussenski Lom River in the
northern Rousse Region. A technical crew was sent to the spot.
The river flooded 15 hectares of land, but the population was
out of danger.

Expert teams continued to watch the water level of the Toundja
River in the southeastern Yambol Region. Firefighters and
rescuers were draining flood areas in Elhovo in the same region.

A red alert remained in place for possible flooding along the
Toundja River near Elhovo, the Environment Ministry said.
Special attention should be given to the river at both Elhovo
and Yambol, where a new tidal wave is expected as the water
flows down towards the rivermouth and additional amounts of
water are released from the Zhrebchevo Dam. Flooding is very
likely in the lower parts of the town of Elhovo and nearby farm
fields and sport grounds.

Nahide Deniz told BTA from Istanbul that the rain in Bulgaria
has swollen the rivers Maritsa and Toundja near the Turkish city
 of Edirne. The water level there continued to rise for the
second consecutive day. SN/VE

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