Floods in southern Bulgaria: ‘Code red’ warning in two areas
A state of emergency was declared in Gulubovo municipality on the afternoon of December 5 as heavy rain swelled rivers, while a “code red” danger warning was issued for the Maritsa River valley near the town of Svilengrad and along the Tundzha River valley near Elhovo in southern Bulgaria.
Reports said that the Stara Zagora region was in difficulties because of the heavy rainfall, especially near the Zhrebchevo reservoir where water was coming out at a rate of 150 cubic metres a second.
Gulubovo and Radnevo areas were most seriously affected, with a reservoir retaining wall broken and some villages without electricity.
In Gulubovo, a crisis staff team was monitoring the situation, the town’s ring road had been closed to traffic, and the water level of the Zasliya River, which passes through the town, was critically high.
Separate reports said that four houses had been flooded in the village of Debelt in the Bourgas area after the Sredetska River burst its banks. Fifteen people had been evacuated and they were being housed with relatives.
Debelt mayor Ivanka Angelova said that the water level in the river was expected to recede by the end of the day.
Rainfall in southern Bulgaria was expected to resume on the evening of December 5, while rainfall is forecast for the entire country on December 6.
(Photo: BNT)
