The rapid rise of the Evros River’s water levels caused by the heavy rains and severe flooding during the past days in Turkey and Bulgaria, is of particular concern. Due to the heavy rains, large volumes of water were gathered in Ivaylovgrad and Stounten Klantenets, Bulgaria.
On the evening of Jan. 21, at Pythion station the water levels rose above 5.30 meters, which means 10 centimeters higher than the alert threshold. In Kipoi, the level reached 4.75 meters, with a maximum of 4.70 meters, while in Petalo it reached five meters.
The Civil Protection Authority of the Evros Municipality warned neighboring municipalities and their residents not to approach the streams, the river, the embankments, and to remove animals, machinery and tools from the areas around Evros.
The lower course of the river, where it forms the border of Greece and Turkey, is very vulnerable to flooding. For about four months every year the low lands around the river are flooded. This causes significant economic damage, such as loss of agricultural production and damage to infrastructure, which is estimated at several hundred million euros.
The last two times Evros flooded was in 2006 and in 2007. Several causes have been proposed, such as more rainfall due to climate change, deforestation in the Bulgarian part of the catchment area, increased land usage in the flood plains and difficult communication among the three countries.
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