Hurricane-Force Winds Cause Damage in Sofia: Fallen Trees, Sheets of Metal and Fences

Damage caused by hurricane-force winds also reported in Sofia – more than 300 reports of fallen trees, fences and signs across the capital

Fallen metal sheets, branches, broken windows, fences, and torn-down wires following the hurricane-force winds in Sofia. Among the hardest-hit areas is "Strelbishte."

Doncho Sarbev: "Sheets of metal that were attached to the building's exterior insulation system have fallen down. Everything that was on the window sills up above ended up on the ground. One car has a broken window after being hit by a falling sheet of metal."

Vanya Gavrilova: "My mother has a medical condition that severely limits her mobility, and she was due to be discharged from hospital today. Given the situation, if she had come home a little earlier, she could have been hit by the sheets of metal flying around."

More than 300 reports have been received in the capital. Priority is being given to clearing central urban areas and locations around nurseries, kindergartens and schools.

Maria Teneva, Director of the Emergency Assistance and Prevention Directorate: "The situation has now stabilised, although we still have a large number of reports to deal with. We expect to process them all by the end of the day. We have also mobilised the Sofia Municipality volunteer unit to assist. Teams from the Sofia Inspectorate are also on the ground, clearing fallen leaves and debris. No people have been injured. So far, 10 cars have been affected by fallen trees."

Fire service crews have been working at the scene since the morning.

Georgi Karageorgiev, firefighter: "There have been quite a few fallen trees. One had fallen on a car, and we cleared it. Then we went to Bistrishko Shose, where we removed a tree from a bus stop. It had fallen on a bus at the stop. There were also fallen fences on top of a car."

Weather forecasters’ warnings about dangerous winds remain in effect until the end of the day.

Photos: BGNES