The situation in Apriltsi is gradually returning to normal after the torrential rains and the rising rivers that flooded streets, washed away a bridge and blocked roads to tourist sites in the area.
The planned celebrations to mark the 150th anniversary of the Novoselsko Uprising were also canceled due to the disaster.
The mayor of Apriltsi, Eng. Tihomir Kukenski, explained that the situation was monitored throughout the night via a connection with the meteorological station on Botev Peak.
“What happens up there happens here in a few hours”, he said.
According to him, in just one day, about 140 liters per square meter fell on Botev Peak, and the heavy rainfall also melted a large part of the accumulated snow.
„Everyone knows that there was a record snowfall at Botev. And all this flows into three rivers in Apriltsi“, the mayor pointed out.
The water has swept away streets and caused serious damage to the infrastructure: “One bridge has gone, the other we saved“, Kukenski added.
The most dramatic situation took place in a house by the river, where an 81-year-old woman was rescued at the last moment.
Apriltsi Deputy Mayor Krasimir Kolev said that the signal was received in the early hours of the day: “Yesterday around 5:30 in the morning was the peak moment and the highest waves on the rivers“, he explained.
According to him, neighbors signaled that the elderly woman was blocked in her home, but no one dared to enter.
“When I looked out the window, the view was terrible. The woman was standing in the middle of the room, holding onto the floating table, and the water was 20 centimeters below her chin. She had kept her composure, she is a hero“, said Kolev.
He had to break the window to get her out: “She was super calm. These are people of a different breed“, said the deputy mayor, quoted by bTV.
The woman was successfully evacuated and was later placed with her relatives in Sofia.
Over 60 signals were received by the local authorities in connection with the critical situation. According to the mayor, the main problem is the uncleaned riverbeds and the lack of sufficient funds for prevention.
“We have been saying for years that prevention is the cheapest way to deal with such situations“, said Kukenski.
He emphasized that during heavy rainfall, rivers carry trees, branches and roots, which further clog bridges and facilities.
“Municipalities need help to clean the riverbeds“, he added.
At the moment, there are no data on new signals of people in distress or the need for additional drainage.