Tension continues in the Ruse village of Nikolovo, where a state of emergency remains in force due to the compromised dam on Lake Lipnik. The heavy rain this morning again increased the risk of the facility collapsing, although urgent strengthening activities have been undertaken in recent days.
The mayor of Nikolovo Zlatan Vanev said that the biggest danger now is rainwater penetrating the foundations of the dam, which could further weaken it: “Yesterday gave a little hope, but today the rain is a serious problem. We hope the weather will improve as soon as possible“.
According to him, the water level in the lake has dropped by about a meter, which is encouraging. The canal that carries the water through the village is monitored around the clock and is currently passable, with no danger of overflow.
However, about 60 residents of Nikolovo have signed declarations refusing to evacuate, despite the warnings of the authorities. Some of them have moved to higher parts of the village.
Today, the mayor of Ruse must decide whether the residents will be able to return to their homes or whether the state of emergency will be extended.
“Measurements must be carried out over several days, we started with geodetic ones, which will establish in reality, and not whether it seems to us, whether there is a continuing displacement of the wall or whether everything as a process has ended. The following measurements are by specialists who will check the humidity in the wall. +from now on, I want to tell everyone, enough technical data must be collected and they must tell me that it is safe enough for people. "I ask for everyone's understanding + the decisions of the mayor and the municipality's leadership are based entirely on the opinions of the specialists who have been involved," said Pencho Milkov.