site.btaSituation in Apriltsi Returning to Normal, Mayor Says

The situation in Apriltsi is returning to normal, Tihomir Kukenski, mayor of the municipality, told the Bulgarian News Agency on Sunday. The Vidima and Ostreshka rivers have already returned to their beds, he noted.

A partial state of emergency was declared in the municipality on Saturday after 86 litres of rainfall per square metre fell within 24 hours. The Ostreshka and Vidima rivers overflowed during the night, destroying a pedestrian bridge, flooding homes and commercial properties, and blocking access to the Pleven mountain hut due to landslides.

On Sunday, residents cleaned debris by hand, as heavy machinery was not in operation, Kukenski said. He added that machinery will be deployed starting Monday in areas where it is needed.

As of Monday, a municipal commission will begin inspections of affected homes and assess the extent of the damage. An elderly woman who was rescued from a flooded house has already been taken in by relatives in Sofia. Tourists from the Pleven mountain hut have also returned home, the Mayor said.

Monitoring of critical points around bridge structures is underway across the municipality.

The Mayor also noted that there is a high probability that the postponed celebrations marking the 150th anniversary of the April Uprising will take place on May 30.