Large tornado rips through Lavovo, Bulgaria, damaging over 150 homes

A large tornado struck the village of Lavovo, near Isperih in Bulgaria’s Razgrad Province on November 4, 2023, unroofing more than 100 homes and causing widespread infrastructure damage, including downed trees and electric poles. Accompanying storms inflicted further havoc across Central and South Bulgaria, with multiple regions experiencing power outages and flooding, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.

An estimated 150 houses had their roofs torn off by the force of the tornado in Lavovo. In addition, trees were uprooted, and electrical infrastructure, including poles and cables, suffered extensive damage. The adjacent locality of Dulovo was not spared, witnessing similar scenes of uprooted trees and severed cables, leading to a disruption of the power supply.

The Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported that the storm system responsible for the tornado in Lavovo also caused notable damage in the central regions of the country, particularly affecting the areas of Stara Zagora and Kazanlak. There, dozens of incidents involving fallen trees and branches were reported, alongside damaged electric poles. The consequent power outages affected the villages of Rakitnitsa and parts of Dalboki in Stara Zagorje.

Further to the south, in Smolyan and the municipality of Kaloyanovo, residents experienced similar interruptions to their power supply. In the southeastern part of Bulgaria, 10 villages within the Tundzha municipality were left without electricity.

Veliko Tarnovo, known for its historical significance and topography, experienced severe flooding, particularly around the regional hospital’s roundabouts.

There are also reports of large hail in several parts of the country.

References:

¹ Strong storm has caused damage in several parts of Bulgaria – BNR – November 4, 2023

Featured image credit: Disaster Compilations (stillshot)