site.btaUPDATED Authorities Issue Safety Advice for January 3 Strong Wind Warning, One Person Dies after Tree Falls over Car

The Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate General published advice to citizens on Saturday in connection with a warning for strong winds in some parts of the country. For January 3, the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology has issued a yellow warning for strong winds for territories in the regions of Burgas, Varna, Vidin, Vratsa, Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Dobrich, Kardzhali, Lovech, Montana, Sofia Region, Sofia City, Haskovo and Yambol.

Among the recommendations is to avoid staying outdoors due to the danger of falling objects. “Enter a public building or an underpass and seek safe shelter,” the Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate General added. “If you are at home, close doors and windows tightly. If you are travelling, stop your vehicle in an open area, away from power lines and trees, and wait until the danger passes. If you are in the mountains, move to lower ground until the danger has passed,” the advice further states.

A 31-year-old woman died after a tree fell over a moving car on Vitosha Mountains, the Interior Ministry told the Bulgarian News Agency on Saturday. She was travelling with her family, others were not injured in the incident. Sofia Mayor Vassil Terziev expressed his condolences to the woman's family and close ones. "I have ordered additional checks on risky areas and increased monitoring to reduce the risk to people. The safety of citizens is an absolute priority," he added.

Hurricane-force winds caused serious damage in Vratsa, Northwestern Bulgaria, Mayor Kalin Kamenov said on Facebook in the early hours of Saturday. He said gusts overnight topped 120 km/h, bringing down dozens of utility poles and cables, as well as bus stops and trees, and warned residents to stay indoors while municipal teams worked to secure fallen power lines that left parts of the town without electricity.

Also on Saturday morning, Fire Safety and Civil Protection Directorate General Director Alexander Dzhartov said his directorate has received four reports of fallen trees and collapsed structural elements in the town.

Due to strong wind gusts, a total of 45 reports of fallen branches and trees have so far been received in Sofia, the Sofia Municipality press centre told BTA. Another 15 reports have been received of fences at construction sites being blown down.

Winds with speeds of up to 70 km/h were recorded on Friday in the Montana Region, the duty officer at the Hydrometeorological Station in Montana told BTA. The Montana Regional Directorate of the Interior Ministry reported that as a result of Friday’s strong winds, a tree fell onto a car in the village of Barzia, Berkovitsa Municipality. No one was injured in the incident, but material damage was caused to the vehicle.

There are no canceled flights to and from Vasil Levski Airport in Sofia due to strong winds, as they are not horizontal and do not interfere with takeoff and landing, the Airport's Flight Information Department told BTA.