The flood in Tsarevo municipality took four lives and caused serious damage to the infrastructure in the area. The victims are two men and two women, the head of the Regional Directorate of the Interior in Burgas, Commissioner Emil Pavlov, told the press late on Wednesday. He added that at this stage there are no missing or unaccounted for persons.
Three victims of the flood had been identified by the early afternoon. One of the victims was the President of the Tsarevo District Court, Judge Maria Moskova, Justice Minister Atanas Slavov said. Later in the day, the body of the fourth victim was pulled out of the sea by a Border Police boat. Police sources confirmed for BTA that it was the daughter of Judge Moskova.
The two dams near the resort village of Lozenets will be completely drained because they have breached walls, the Tsarevo authorities said. Mayor Georgi Lapchev said that urgent repairs to the dam walls would begin as the powerful wave following the rainfall had caused breaches.
Tsarevo Municipality declared Wednesday a day of mourning for the victims of the Tuesday floods. Festivities on the occasion of the anniversary of the 1885 Unification of Bulgaria were called off at many places in solidarity with those suffering in the aftermath of the floods.
The Burgas Fire Safety and Civil Protection Regional Directorate received more than 250 calls for flooded houses, hotels and infrastructure.
Cars and caravans were swept to sea by the floodwater, and others were submerged under water.
Most of the rivers have come out of their riverbeds. Bridges at Ahtopol, Varvara and between the new and old town of Tsarevo have been destroyed.
Over 130 people were evacuated.
Everybody in and near Tsarevo who had asked for help, have got help, the Mayor said.
Volunteers have joined the rescue efforts and the cleanup after the flooding.
Water suipply in the flood'hit area is being gradually restored, said the government press office. All teams of the Burgas water company have been sent to the area.
The sewerage in Tsarevo and Karaagach has been shut down and the water company will likely need external help to restore the service. The quality of water in the Yasna Polyana reservoir is back to normal. Water is still being pumped from the Tsarevo waste water treatment plant and once this is finished, the electric equipment will be repaired.
The Tsarevo town hall urged all volunteers to coordinate their actions with the competent services.
All-terrain vehicles delivered food and water, provided by the Red Cross and the Tsarevo Municipality, to the flood-hit area. Arrangements have been made for carriage of people and freight, for providing generators and ensuring heavy-duty machines as may be needed, said the government press office. Units of the Armed Forces have been put on standby and are ready to join the efforts to dealing with the consequences of the floods, including units for flood relief, helicopters for aerial search and rescue of the Krumovo airbase and a Spartan aircraft of the Sofia Municipality. Army representatives have been dispatched to the district crisis task force.
An association of producers of non-alcoholic beverages announced donating 60,000 l of mineral water for the people in Tsarevo.
PM: Situation gradually normalizing as rain stopped
“The encouraging thing is that after the rain stopped, the situation is returning to normal, the roads are gradually becoming passable,” Prime Minister Nikolai Denkov told journalists here Wednesday.
He said that food and water has been provided, and "everything necessary for people in distress”.
The competent state institutions and volunteers continue to work to battle the aftermath of the disaster, said the government leader.
The Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Social Assistance Agency are now on the ground, visiting the flooded houses, talking to people and explaining to them what steps they can take to get government help, Denkov said.
The flood victims are entitled to a lump sum of BGN 1,512 which is available for damages to houses and other property. In addition to that BGN 2,500 is available for damaged electrical appliances. The Prime Minister said this assistace can be received within 1-2 months.
Denkov urged against pointing figures at presumed culprits for the disaster and said that checks are underway and the results will be made public.
On social media, the blame for the magnitude of the disaster is largely put on the local authorities for allowing the filling up of gullies to maximize the market value of land, and thus leaving floodwater with no escape route and flooding huge urbanized areas.
The Prime Minister said: “That was a natural disaster. Precipitation of over 300 l/sq m per 24 hours is very rare. Everywhere it happene, the problems are serious.” He pointed out that the floods also took lives in Greece and Turkiye.
Action will be taken via the Disaster Commission to rebuild the infrastructure. The damage is probably worth tens of millions of leva, said the Prime Minister.
He urged the local authorities to identify their needs quickly and what the government can do for them.
He said that heavy duty machines have already been sent to the affected areas.
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