Bulgarian Mountain Towns Plunged into Darkness After Devastating Snowstorm
A powerful winter storm has crippled several towns in the Balkan Mountains of Bulgaria, leaving over 21 settlements without electricity for more than 20 hours. The heavy snowfall, which began on Christmas Eve, has created a particularly dire situation in the popular tourist village of Cherni Osam, where numerous visitors are stranded.
The impact on tourism is notable. “The village is full of people, including tourists from abroad, staying in guest houses,” warned Cherni Osam Mayor Marin Sirakov. “Our water supply depends on a pump that will stop, and by the evening people will not only be without electricity, but also without water.”
Residents are expressing growing frustration. Vladislav Kardashinov,a resident of troyan,a larger town in the affected area,described the situation as ”terrible.” He added, ”We have been without electricity as yesterday, and the worst thing is that we are not getting any reliable data about when it will be restored.”
The crisis is acutely felt by local businesses. Nikola Penchev, a guesthouse owner hosting 20 tourists from Razgrad and Sofia, painted a grim picture: “The situation is emergency. We have had no electricity as 6 PM yesterday. I have no water either, I have guests for three evenings and now they are wondering if they should stay or not, if they should leave.”
The mayor of Troyan municipality, Donka Mihailova, acknowledged the severity of the situation and the potential for further complications. “If there is still an absence of electricity, where the water is pumped, it may stop and not reach the citizens,” she stated. “I think that the business has every reason to present its claims for the losses it suffers.”
The electricity distribution company has reported that crews are working to restore power, but the extent of the damage and the challenging weather conditions are hindering progress. The hardest-hit areas include Troyan, Lovech, Gabrovo, Teteven, Botevgrad, and Apriltsi.
The situation highlights the vulnerability of rural communities to extreme weather events and underscores the importance of robust infrastructure to withstand such challenges. The long-term economic impact on the tourism sector remains to be seen.
Stay tuned to world-today-news.com for updates on this developing story.
