Severe Snowfall Paralyzes Bulgaria: Roads Shut, Flight Operations Disrupted

Bulgaria faces significant challenges due to heavy snowfall, according to the Interior Ministry's latest update on Sunday at 11:30 am. Fire Safety and Civil Protection units, with 264 personnel and 83 pieces of equipment, are working on 80 incidents caused by the weather.

The Pass of the Republic and Shipka Pass are entirely closed due to heavy snow, snowdrifts, and fallen trees, causing severe conditions in Shipka and Sheinovo. Various vehicles, including an ambulance and fire brigade, got stranded but have since been cleared by heavy equipment.

Varna Airport witnessed six flight cancellations due to adverse weather, affecting routes to and from Germany, the UK, and Turkey. Additionally, regions like Varna, Sliven, and Blagoevgrad are facing power outages.

Kotlenski Pass and several other routes, including Silistra-Shumen, Shumen-Ruse, and Kotel-Petolachkata, remain closed due to the snow, with restrictions on truck traffic in many areas.

Vratsa municipality reported challenging winter conditions with roads blocked due to fallen trees, while in Smolyan, heavy trucks are barred from the region, and snowplows continue clearing roads in the ski resort of Pamporovo.