Nearly 200 houses have been flooded in the Municipality of Karlovo. Critical sections along Stryama River remained under surveillance on Friday night. Earlier, the river flooded five villages. Precipitation in the area reached 190 litres per square metre. The flood destroyed several bridges. Racing waters pushed over many trees. Cars and household belongings were also damaged by the calamity.

The floods caused extensive damage to the local infrastructure. The villages of Karavelovo and Bogdan were the worst affected. The authorities were evacuating people in distress until late Friday.  "The water has already receded. People were taken out from residential areas by helicopters, by rescuers with ropes", said Dr Emil Kabaivanov, Mayor of the Municipality of Karlovo. Seven people with chronic diseases, rescued from the flooded houses, have been admitted to the municipal hospital in Karlovo.

Today, rescuers are to check every single house in the villages of Bogdan and Karavelovo. Food and water will be delivered by helicopters. The authorities will try to rebuild one of the bridges that were swept away by the flood. 

According to the firefighting service in Plovdiv, Stryama river has started to overflow near the village of Voyvodinovo and at the 134th kilometer of Trakia motorway.

• Military helicopters evacuate people from flooding in villages in Karlovo region