Five Bulgarian Municipalities Remain in State of Emergency after Snowstorms

Hundreds of towns in southern Bulgaria remain without electricity supplies and with severe problems with road infrastructure after the prolific snowfalls.

The state of emergency issued in the municipalities of Smolyan, Kardzhali, Haskovo, Pazardzhik and Plovdiv remains in force, the Bulgarian National television reported.

The snow reaches up to 2 meters and over 210 schools in the problematic regions had to dismiss classes on account of the severe weather conditions. Some of the educational institutions will remain closed tomorrow as well.

The situation in Kardzhali is still extremely harsh, as the municipalities of Ardino and parts of Kirkovo and Chernoochene remain without electricity supplies. It is expected that most of the problems with the electrical infrastructure will be resolved by the end of the day.

Tens of villages still remain cut off from the rest of the country. As announced, the efforts of emergency teams will be aimed at reaching those locations.

With the restoring of mobile communications, more and more people alarm the authorities that they have no access to food or fresh water supplies.

Additional food and provisions will be sent in the region of Kardzhali where needed, and off-road vehicles will be dispatched in order to facilitate the rescue teams.

Meanwhile, both the electrical and the mobile infrastructure have been restored in Smolyan and its vicinities.