Gales and heavy rain cause two deaths and disruption in Bulgaria

A policeman walks in front of a bus which went off the road near the town of Dobrich, Bulgaria (Bulgarian News Agency via AP)

Gale-force winds, heavy rain and snow have hit large parts of Bulgaria, claiming the lives of two people, causing severe damage and disrupting power supplies in towns and villages.

Residents in eastern Bulgaria, which was hit the hardest, said they had never before experienced such extreme weather.