site.btaSofia Crews Clear Fallen Trees and Flooded Areas After Intense Storm
Following the brief but intense storm that swept through Sofia on Monday afternoon, authorities received 73 reports of fallen trees and branches and around 40 reports of localized flooding. Most of the incidents were dealt with within an hour and a half after the storm passed.
"The storm was brief, but extremely intense. A large amount of hail and foliage fell in a very short period of time, clogging some of the storm drains. Thanks to the good coordination between the Sofia Municipality teams and the Sofia Fire Department, we were able to quickly assign and respond to the incoming reports. There were no serious disruptions to public transport or electricity supplies," Maria Teneva, head of the Emergency Assistance and Prevention Directorate at the Sofia Directorate for Fire Safety and Civil Protection, said at a briefing on Tuesday.
The majority of reports concerned fallen trees and branches, with around five involving trees that had fallen onto vehicles. The storm drains have been cleared, while street-cleaning operations are continuing. Response teams prioritized reports of fallen trees and branches blocking major roads and intersections, as well as locations where the immediate clearing of the roadway was necessary. Trees that had fallen onto vehicles were removed by Sofia Fire Department crews. Priority was also given to kindergartens, and entrances and exits to parks. Teams from the Sofia Inspectorate worked throughout the night and are continuing their efforts today, Teneva said.
Around 73 reports were received by the Emergency Assistance and Prevention Directorate’s operational duty center via the 112 emergency number, Teneva added. "We received around 40 reports of localized flooding. There were no reports of injuries," she said. According to Teneva, there were no flooded underpasses, metro stations, or streets. "There were isolated sections of some streets where clogged drains caused water to accumulate due to the large amount of fallen foliage," she added.
Traffic was not restricted Monday, Teneva noted. The only exception was on Bulgaria Boulevard, where tram services were suspended for 15 minutes due to a problem with the traffic-lights. Emergency crews repaired the fault, and all traffic-light systems are currently operating normally, she said.
According to data from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, around 19 liters of rain per square meter fell in a short period, an amount that would normally accumulate over roughly 10 days in August.
The Sofia Inspectorate is continuing its efforts to clear foliage from streets and sidewalks, while Sofia Municipality teams are carrying out inspections and responding to reports that have been received.
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