site.btaSituation Remains Serious in Southern Regions after Heavy Snow

Situation Remains Serious in Southern Regions after Heavy Snow


Sofia, March 9 (BTA) - After three days of heavy snowfall, on
Monday the situation remained particularly serious in the
southern regions of Smolyan and Kurdjali and in the southern
municipalities of Luki, Velingrad and Surnitsa, where a state of
 disaster has been declared. Gulubovo municipality also declared
 a state of disaster on Monday morning. Due to the snow and the
release of water from dams, the water in the Suzliika River,
which bisects Gulubovo, has risen to a critically high level.

The snow caused numerous power outages, closed roads, disrupted
communications and affected goods supplies in most of the
country, mainly in and around the Rhodope Mountains in the
south. An avalanche killed three skiers in Mount Pirin on
Sunday.

A total of 850 communities were without electricity on Monday
morning.

The water level in the Toundja River at the town of Elhovo rose
above the critical mark of 395 cm, reaching 398 cm at 10 a.m. on
 Monday. The lowest parts of the town are flooded. The municipal
 government expects the water level to peak on Tuesday and then
to begin to fall. This is the third flooding of Elhovo in three
months.

The emergency centre at the Defence Ministry, established by
order of Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev, continues to watch
the situaion across the country. Servicepersons helped the
people in the Rhodope Mountains over the last three days.