[size=75:1681uiq9]Sofia echo 18 February 2010
Rivers, dams in Bulgaria remain dangerously full
Civil Protection units worked overnight and prevented the Vaya dam in Bourgas from bursting, Bulgarian media reported on February 18 2010. The team "
worked tirelessly"
to buttress and reinforce the banks of the dam, where the threat of a breach was at its worst.
Because of the ongoing work, the Bourgas-Sozopol road section had been shut off for traffic, reports said.
According to experts on the ground, the situation remains "
stable"
. The water levels continue to be alarmingly high in places but the water level was not increasing, Dnevnik said.
However, a heat wave was expected to descend on Bulgaria on February 18 that would last for several days. Temperatures have been rising since February 16, but were expected to hit as high has 20C in places on February 18, with the average for the country at about 12-14C.
Light rain was expected throughout Bulgaria. Even in the mountains, precipitation would take the form of rain as high up as 2200m.
"
The situation in Elhovo remains critical. Intense snow-melting process in the mountains will cause rivers to overflow again, as dams will have to be vented once more,"
the Bulgarian meteorological service was quoted as saying.