Heavy Rainfall Causes Landslides and Traffic Disruptions in Smolyan

The intense and prolonged rainfall over the past few days has caused landslides, rockfalls and disruption to the municipal road network in a number of settlements in Smolyan Municipality, Deputy Mayor Mariana Tsekova reported. She added that earth, mud and rock debris have accumulated in numerous locations.

Road links to the villages of Gorovo, Valchan, Zmievo, Turyan, Borikovo, Kiselchovo, Kremene, Chereshovo, Sivino, Lipets, Gudevitsa, Rechani, Gozdevitsa, Trebishte, Slavейno and Aligovska have been affected. The Katranitsa–Reka road was closed due to a landslide, but the debris has since been cleared and traffic has resumed. In the area of the village of Stikal, a landslide has narrowed the carriageway, and motorists are advised to exercise increased caution when passing through.

Mariana Tsekova said that the floodwaters have not yet fully receded, meaning that it is not currently possible to establish the full extent of the damage or determine whether any further damage has occurred. Teams from Smolyan Municipality are inspecting the affected sections and documenting the damage.

According to the mayor of the village of Tikale, numerous rocks have fallen in the area.

No reports of rainfall-related damage have been received so far from the other municipalities in Smolyan Region, Regional Governor Georgi Pepelanov also reported.

He added that water levels at the Tsankov Kamak, Dospat, Teshel, Zlatograd and Plovdivtsi reservoirs remain within normal limits and that all have available storage capacity. There have been no reports of rivers overflowing their banks.