Bulgaria's Smolyan Municipality Declares State of Emergency over Heavy Rain

The southern Bulgarian municipality of Smolyan is in a state of emergency over heavy rain and strong wind.

The Cherna River overflowed its banks in several places in the town of Smolyan.

Scores of basements and buildings have been flooded.

Landslides have been activated and the torrential rain has caused damage to some roads and bridges.
There have been no reports about stranded people.

Emergency teams of fire safety officers were on duty at the most critical points of the riverbed Saturday night.

The situation is very dangerous at the place where the two rivers, the Cherna River and the Byala River, flow into one in the residential district of Ustovo.

Ustovo suffered a major flood in 2005.

Smolyan District Governor Nedko Slavov told the Bulgarian National Radio Sunday that there was no reason to call a meeting of the District Crisis Headquarters as the problems only affected the Smolyan municipality.

In August 2005, heavy rain of 218 liters per square meter hit the region, causing flood victims in Smolyan and Chepelare and damage worth BGN 14 M.

Meanwhile, Bulgaria's Ministry of Environment and Water warned that a substantial increase in river water levels is expected on Sunday due to the heavy rain.

A Code Red river flood warning has been issued for the Tundzha River in the area of Yambol and Elhovo and a Code Orange alert has been issued for the Maritsa River near Plovdiv, Parvomai, Harmanli, and Svilengrad, and the Sazaliyka River near Galabovo.

The districts of Smolyan, Haskovo, Yambol, and Burgas are under a Code Orange alert, with rain of 40-60 liters per square meters expected there.

14 other municipalities are also to experience heavy rain.