A large part of the country woke up in a snow blockade. Roads are closed, and there have been many incidents. 260 cleaning machines are processing the surfaces on the republican roads. Snow is falling in 14 regions.
Dangerous weather
Temporarily, due to heavy snowfall and cleaning, the passage of heavy trucks with trailers and semi-trailers through the "Rozhen" and "Prevala" passes is restricted, as well as for part of the republican roads in the regions of Ruse, Smolyan, Razgrad and Shumen. Restrictions have been introduced in sections of road I-5 Ruse-Byala, I-2 Ruse-Razgrad-Shumen.
Last night, NIMH warned that the weather on Saturday would be dangerous. A second degree warning for rain and snow has been announced for: Gabrovo, Veliko Tarnovo, Stara Zagora, Sliven, Yambol, Haskovo, Plovdiv, Kardzhali, Smolyan. In yellow are colored: Dobrich, Varna, Shumen, Burgas, Targovishte and parts of Plovdiv, Pazardzhik, Lovech, Pleven, Ruse, Veliko Tarnovo, Silistra, Sliven, Yambol.
In Sofia: The roads to Vitosha were closed, passengers were pushing buses
In Vitosha Nature Park, the roads "Dragalevtsi quarter - h. Aleko" and "Boyana quarter - m. Zlatnite mostove" are temporarily closed due to snow removal and sanding activities, the SO announced. The movement of buses to Vitosha has also been temporarily suspended. Bus line No. 63 runs only to the "Byalata cheshma" area. From 5.30 this morning, the cleaning equipment has been in motion.
In the city itself, there were curious snowy troubles - in social networks, users shared a video of how passengers were pushing a bus 120 stuck in the snow on Cherkovna street. On Vasil Levski Blvd., two trolleybuses have stalled and passage along the main road artery was blocked.
Citizens report uncleared streets and main boulevards.
In the Sofia region, the passage on road II-82 Sofia - Samokov in the section near "Zlatna ribka" continues to be temporarily restricted. The reason is a fallen rock mass on the roadway. The bypass route is along road III-181 Bistritsa - Zhelezitsa - Yarema - Samokov.
Trakia highway
On the Trakia motorway, traffic is slow due to heavy snowfall and reduced visibility.
Plovdiv
The gorge from the village of Varvara to Gara Kostandovo was temporarily closed to traffic. The reason is stones and rock mass that have fallen in several places, as well as the danger of new ones falling as a result of heavy rainfall. the road will be opened again after it is cleaned and safe passage of cars becomes possible.
For a bypass route, you can use Peshtera-Batak-Rakitovo - Gara Kostandovo - Velingrad. The Belovo-Yundola road can also be used as a bypass. Teams of police departments in Septemvri and Velingrad are positioned on both sides of the route and redirecting cars.
Northwest
Serious problems on the roads in Northwestern Bulgaria due to the snow that accumulated overnight. The section of the main road E-79 between Montana and Vratsa has not been cleaned and sanded.
In many places along the road, in both directions, there are stopped trucks that have no way to leave the roadway and make traffic difficult or completely block it for a long time. Columns of trucks and cars have formed in different places almost along the entire route of the international road E-79.
A traffic jam has formed in the direction from Montana to Vratsa in the area of the junction for the villages of Kravoder and Glavatsi. Several kilometers after the place, a long column of cars has formed in the opposite direction.
Serious icing on the roadway on the alternative to E-79 road between Vratsa and Montana through Krivodol.
Travelers between Vratsa and Borovan report that the road is uncleared and several trucks have not been able to overcome the climb before the village of Banitsa. Many cars are also blocked on the road between Mezdra and Botevgrad, in the Lyutidol area.
The "Petrohan" pass is open to traffic in both directions, but drivers should be prepared for harsh winter conditions.
Earlier in the day, a serious accident occurred in the area of the village of Barzia, but there is still no official information about the causes, BNT reported.
Veliko Tarnovo
Problems with snow in Veliko Tarnovo on the international road Ruse - Svilengrad. A truck got stuck in the ditch on the route near the village of Pokraishte.
Truck queues formed in the northern part of the Republic Pass near the village of Vuglevtsi. On the Sofia - Varna road, traffic is slow - in the Lovech region and in the area of Sevlievo.
An accident blocked a section of the Sofia - Varna road. The incident happened in the area of the junction for the village of Balvan, Veliko Tarnovo. A jeep hit a snowplow. There were no serious injuries. The road is not closed, but traffic is difficult and is regulated by "Road Police" officers. A kilometer-long column of cars has already formed.
Smolyan and the region
Up to 15 cm is the new snow cover on the passes and high parts of the Smolyan region. Snowfall continues, and in the lower parts of the region it is rain. Due to snowfall and snow removal, traffic for trucks with trailers and semi-trailers through the "Prevala" and "Rozhen" passes is restricted.
Ruse and the region
Republic road I-5 Ruse - Byala is temporarily closed from this morning for trucks over 10 tons, announced the regional governor Dragomir Draganov. Since last night, more than 40 specialized machines have been on the ground, cleaning and processing against icing over 500 km. of the republican road network in the region. If necessary, the crisis centers in Byzan, Slivo pole, Pirgovo and Gara Byala are ready to accept people in distress on the roads in Northern Bulgaria.
Razgrad
Sleet is falling in the Razgrad region and is complicating the road situation, with heavy trucks getting stuck in places. There are no closed roads, but traffic on individual sections is difficult.
Two trucks got stuck on the climb to the village of Osenez and impede the normal passage of vehicles. The situation is similar in the Derventa area, where heavy trucks cannot climb the hill and create temporary difficulties. 15 machines are working on the ground to clean and process the surfaces. The Regional Road Administration calls on drivers to drive with increased caution and at a speed appropriate to the meteorological conditions.
In the Rhodopes
The gorge from the village of Varvara to Gara Kostandovo is temporarily closed to traffic. The reason is stones and rock mass that have fallen in several places, as well as the danger of new ones falling as a result of heavy rainfall.
Ardino Municipality
The mayor of Ardino Municipality, Eng. Izet Shaban, for the seventh time since the beginning of the year, announced a partial state of disaster on the territory of the municipality. The reason is the rising level of the Arda River.