FLOODED VILLAGES IN NORTH WEST BULGARIA (updated)

Overflowing of the river Lom tributaries after the recent heavy rains caused flooding in the villages of Gyurgich and Pleshivets on Wednesday, 23 April. The villages are located in the region of the city of Vidin in the Northwest of Bulgaria, near the Danube river. About 60 residents have been evacuated.

According to the Ministry of Interior there were no serious damages. However, the mayors of the affected villages  reported about ruined houses, flooded yards, cars carried away and bridges wrecked by the flood water.

A crisis management team met on Thursday, 24^th April, to decide on the measures to be undertaken for recovery from the flood damages in Gyurich and Pleshivets. A state of emergency was declared for the territory of Ruzhintsi municipality, where the flood affected villages are.

“The road to Gyurich dam was destroyed and cut off as a result of the torrential rain”, said the Deputy Regional Governor of Vidin, Nikolai Todorov, at the meeting of the crisis management team.

About 1,5 m remain before the water overflows the dam wall in the village of Gyurich, but trees and braches are piled on the spillway and thus hamper the normal water flow, he added. 30 or 40 volunteers are needed to remove the piled up tree branches from the spillway to prevent the water from overflowing.