Sveta Petka (, ) is a village in the

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

of Sopište,

North Macedonia North Macedonia, officially the Republic of North Macedonia, is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe. It shares land borders with Greece to the south, Albania to the west, Bulgaria to the east, Kosovo to the northwest and Serbia to the n ...

Demographics

According to the 2002 census, the village had a total of 712 inhabitants. Ethnic

Albanians The Albanians are an ethnic group native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, Albanian culture, culture, Albanian history, history and Albanian language, language. They are the main ethnic group of Albania and Kosovo, ...

constitute the overwhelming majority of the village population, as all but 11 residents belong to that ethnic group.Macedonian Census (2002)
''Book 5 - Total population according to the Ethnic Affiliation, Mother Tongue and Religion''
The State Statistical Office, Skopje, 2002, p. 174.

Buildings

The village church in Sveta Petka was constructed from 1855 to 1858. Its carved wooden

iconostasis In Eastern Christianity, an iconostasis () is a wall of icons and religious paintings, separating the nave from the sanctuary in a Church (building), church. ''Iconostasis'' also refers to a portable icon stand that can be placed anywhere withi ...

, crafted by artists Veno and Zafir in 1868, is a notable feature. The church interior includes wall paintings completed in 1886 by Dimitrije Andonov and Petar Nikolic, with additional decorative work added by an unknown artist in 1902.

Rockfall hazard and safety measures

The access road to the Sveta Petka dam presents a significant

rockfall A rockfall or rock-fallWhittow, John (1984). ''Dictionary of Physical Geography''. London: Penguin, 1984. . is a quantity of Rock (geology), rock that has fallen freely from a cliff face. The term is also used for collapse of rock from roof or wa ...

hazard, primarily due to steep rock cuts made in marble

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

combined with intense tectonic activity in the area. These geological conditions frequently cause rock movements and rockfalls onto the road, endangering vehicles and construction workers. An analysis conducted using the Rockfall Hazard Rating System (RHRS) identified multiple sections along the road that require urgent remedial measures. The study revealed that reducing the

speed limit Speed limits on road traffic, as used in most countries, set the legal maximum speed at which vehicles may travel on a given stretch of road. Speed limits are generally indicated on a traffic sign reflecting the maximum permitted speed, express ...

could substantially influence the hazard level, indicating that slower traffic speeds correlate with an increased risk of rockfall accidents. Suggested protective measures include removing unstable rock blocks, installing rockfall barriers and anchors, reinforcing slopes with

shotcrete Shotcrete, gunite (), or sprayed concrete is concrete or mortar conveyed through a hose and pneumatically projected at high velocity onto a surface. This construction technique was invented by Carl Akeley and first used in 1907. The concr ...

, and constructing concrete galleries or supports in the most hazardous zones. Ongoing monitoring through an annual stabilization program was recommended to maintain road safety effectively.

References

External links

{{Sopište Municipality Villages in Sopište Municipality Albanian communities in North Macedonia