Strong winds and rain that hit Bulgaria during the past 24 hours left areas around the towns Kyustendil, Blagoevgrad, Pazardjik and the city of Plovdiv without electricity. In Bulgaria’s largest Black Sea city of Varna, the strong wind caused traffic congestion, private broadcaster bTV reported on July 9.

A 66-year-old man from the village of Shishkovtsi, in Kyustendil region, died crushed under a tree that fell down due to the windstorm, Focus news agency reported. Many trees fell down in the area causing electricity cuts in a number of villages around Kyustendil.

Trees also blocked the roads in the area and harmed fruit trees. According to Kopilovtsi village mayor Ivan Petrov, five per cent of the harvest in the area was destroyed. In the town of Kystendil, the strong wind destroyed the whole outer insulation of a six-storey block of flats.

Shishkovtsi mayor Kliment Terziiski said that the company that provides electricity to the area, CEZ Bulgaria, did not react at all and did not come to the disaster location, although the local population and the village mayors had asked for help.

Plovdiv district Kurshiaka, serviced by EVN Bulgaria, also remained without electricity due to the storm. EVN said that there were electricity failures also in other parts of the city as well.

Bulgaria's power grid, much of which dates back to the communist era, needs extensive upgrades and replacing of old equipment, but the three power distribution companies in the country have said that the 14 per cent average electricity price hikes on July 1 would not generate enough revenue for the firms to carry out all the investment they have planned for 2008.