Power out as heavy snow hits Bulgaria

Authorities in Bulgaria Tuesday declared emergencies in 190 villages and towns without electrical power for a fifth day as heavy snow blanketed the country. Emergency situations were in effect for the Bulgarian municipalities of Teteven, Smolyan and Roman, the Sofia News Agency reported Tuesday. Most villages in the area of Teteven, in the central Balkan mountain range, are without electricity for a fifth consecutive day as a result of fallen electric poles and downed utility lines. Schools are closed because of no heat, officials said. The popular winter resort of Pamporovo was without a supply of drinking water. "The season is doomed if the water supply is not reinstated. And the situation in the region is extremely critical," Smolyan Regional Governor Stefan Staykov said. More than 11,000 electrical customers were reportedly without power, the Interior Ministry said.