Community Recovery help after flooding in Bulgaria

Thanks to the help from our Lions Clubs International Foundation Lions of District 130 Bulgaria are able to offer help and support in community recovery after the massive flooding on September 2, 2022 in Karlovo region.
Prolonged intense rainfalls on the territory of the municipality of Karlovo, Bulgaria caused major flooding along the Stryama River with extensive damages. Residential and commercial buildings, industrial enterprises, schools and kindergartens, public institutions, vehicles were flooded, the road surfaces were damaged, inert materials were dragged into the yards and homes.
In some places the power supply has been interrupted, street lighting poles have fallen, bridges have been destroyed.
Over 200 houses with more than 250 households in the municipality of Karlovo, Bulgaria were flooded; over 350 people in the villages along the Stryama River – Bogdan, Karavelovo, Slatina, Rozino, Voynyagovo, Dabene, Stoletovo were affected. The population had been evacuated. Hundreds lost their homes and belongings. As a result, the situation there is complicated and with a risk to people’s health. It was urgently needed to start cleaning up the mud, trees and debris in a timely manner.
Lions of D130 Bulgaria requested and received immediately financial assistance from LCIF – a Community Recovery grant of $20,000 USD to offer more significant help with supplies, equipment for removal of debris, cleaning and refurbishment of homes, schools and other public facilities after the flooding.
As soon as we received the grant funds, we hired the equipment and started the cleanup service activities. We are guided by the municipality authorities to the locations with the greatest need for the equipment – a JCB 155 Skid Steer and a Komatsu front loader, as well as a two small trucks, that can go inside the yards for loading and removing the debris.
Many volunteers – Lions and non-Lions are currently involved in removing fallen trees, branches, mud and debris. We help in cleaning hard to reach areas in the yards where the equipment cannot reach, as well as inside the homes. Lions & Leos reached out and teamed up with other organizations currently volunteering in the region to increase the impact of our project. Clubs also contribute their own funds to provide materials – shovels, buckets and hand carts, work gloves and boots for volunteers, as well as blankets, clothes, household appliances, school supplies for kids, etc.
Where there is a need, there is #Lions
#TogetherWeCan

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