Emergency Situation in Bulgaria's Pernik Lifted at Noon

The handles of the city clock in Bulgaria's Pernik are frozen at the time when the first and strongest quake shook the city Tuesday morning. Photo by BGNES

The residents of the western Bulgarian city of Pernik spent another sleepless night outside on the streets, some in their automobiles, in the aftermath of the strongest earthquake to hit Bulgaria in the last 100 years.

The City Hall and school buildings also sheltered people for whom food has been provided. Locals continue to be very frightened over rumors spreading on social networks that a new, very strong earthquake is looming in the next days.

Pernik Mayor, Rositsa Yanakieva, speaking for the largest private TV channel bTV, informed that the emergency situation is still effective Wednesday morning and is expected to be lifted at noon.

The emergency headquarters met at the City Hall in the morning and requested the extension until noon over the complicated weather situation, which came on top of the aftershocks.

Torrential rains hit the city and the region at 1 pm Wednesday and are continuing, hurdling the assessment of the damage.

The high school and middle school matriculation exams in Bulgaria's western region of Pernik have been postponed from Wednesday, May 23 to May 29, after the late visit of Prime Minister, Boyko Borisov, and his meeting with the Regional Governor.

Schools are closed in the Pernik region Wednesday. Experts continue to assess the damage.