LEHCHEVO, BULGARIA — The villages of Lehchevo and Kobylyak in Bulgaria’s Montana province are reeling from a second wave of devastating floods in just two weeks, local media BNR reported on Friday.
Torrential rainfall—measuring an intense 35 liters per square meter in just 10 minutes—combined with large hail, left dozens of households inundated and widespread damage in its wake.
Local officials and residents are still grappling with the aftermath, as basements and ground floors across the area were flooded, and gardens and yards turned into muddy ponds. “The situation is alarming,” said Alexander Alexandrov, mayor of Lehchevo.
“Entire homes have been soaked. Many families are now without essential belongings, and repairs will take weeks, if not months.”
More than 20 households were reported to be severely affected. Many residents are now dependent on emergency support and financial assistance to restore basic living conditions.
According to Alexandrov, social services are preparing to compensate the affected families with one-time payments of up to 1,900 leva per household, depending on the severity of the damage.
“The aid will go toward repairs, replacement of damaged furniture, and restoring electricity and water supply in flooded homes,” the mayor noted, adding that assessments by municipal staff and social workers are ongoing.
The primary cause of the flooding is believed to be an outdated and shallow drainage canal running through the village, which could not withstand the sudden volume of rainwater.
Alexandrov explained that the canal needs to be significantly deepened and its dam elevated to prevent future disasters. “Unfortunately, the municipality lacks the financial resources to undertake such an infrastructure upgrade on its own,” he said.
Despite repeated appeals to both state and municipal authorities, no external support has yet materialized. “We are still waiting for help from Sofia and the Montana district,” Alexandrov emphasized. “We’ve submitted the necessary documentation and reports, but the village continues to be on its own.”
In Kobylyak, similar scenes of destruction unfolded, with local residents using makeshift tools to clear debris and drain water from their homes.
“It came so fast,” said 64-year-old resident Maria Petrova. “Within minutes, the water was knee-deep in our living room. We barely had time to save our documents and some clothes.”
Local authorities are urging the government to prioritize long-term flood prevention measures in rural areas, especially as extreme weather events become more frequent. Environmental experts have warned that climate change is increasing the risk of flash floods and hailstorms in the Balkan region.
Meanwhile, residents in Lehchevo and Kobylyak are bracing for further rain forecast over the weekend. Emergency teams remain on high alert, and volunteers have begun distributing sandbags and basic supplies to the most affected homes.
As the region battles the aftermath, residents are calling not only for immediate aid but for lasting solutions to prevent their homes from being submerged time and again.