Bad Weather Brings Bulgaria-Macedonia Border Traffic to Standstill

The traffic to the Gyueshevo crossing point on Bulgaria's border with Macedonia has been brought to a standstill as a result of inclement weather. 

The swollen waters of the river Bistritsa have seriously damaged the bridge in Garliano village, near Kyustendil. Half of the bridge carriageway has been washed away.

All traffic going to or from Gyueshovo checkpoint has been stopped, due to the serious risk of the entire bridge collapsing, the border police announced on Tuesday. It is not clear how long this situation will last.

People traveling to the Republic of Macedonia have been advised to use the border checkpoints at Stanke Lisichkovo and Zlatarevo, and to avoid Gyueshevo.

The administrative building of the hydro-electrical power plant close to Garliano village is also in danger of collapsing, and the drainage system in Kyustendil is also at risk of damage, BGNES reports

Civil Defence teams, the municipality street-cleaning company “Chistota”, and a special crisis team organized by Kyustendil Municipality, have been mobilized.

The heavy autumn rains have flooded several nearby villages, according to Petar Paunov, Mayor of Kyustendil. He added that two days of solid rain in the mountains had already washed away several sections of road, as well as flooding lower ground.

The torrential rain has also badly affected the town of Dupnitsa, with main roads and smaller streets flooded, according to Pirin-Focus Radio.

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