The landslide near Pamporovo in the Rhodope Mountains remains active, prompting ongoing emergency assessments and investigations into the causes of the disruption that has closed the Pamporovo-Smolyan road, Regional Development Minister Ivan Shishkov said during a hearing in the National Assembly.
Shishkov stressed that the situation is still unstable and access to the affected zone is not possible. Authorities are currently examining multiple possible factors, including water-related infrastructure such as a reservoir for water supply and another used for artificial snow production, as well as long-standing structural issues that have developed over time.
“The landslide occurred on May 1 in the Raykovski Livadi area. The first signs were deep cracks in the road. It is good that adequate measures were taken and a tragic incident did not occur. A working meeting was held on May 14. Some of the reasons for the formation of this landslide were clarified. Tasks for new geological surveys were given,” Shishkov said.
He added that the Pamporovo dam will also be included in the investigation, although preliminary expert assessments suggest it is unlikely to be directly responsible due to its distance from the site. The area itself shows significant groundwater saturation, with levels reported between 50 centimeters and 1.5 meters.
