The storms with torrential, abnormal rainfall that hit Bulgaria overnight on October 3rd caused severe damage across the country.
The most critical situation developed along the southern Black Sea coast, where large-scale flooding occurred and lives were lost.
Within 24 hours, record rainfall was recorded in parts of Burgas Province — according to the Izgrev weather station, more than 16 inches, and about 10 inches in Tsarevo and Elenite.
As a result of the storm, more than 80 settlements were left without power. A state of emergency was declared in at least five municipalities in the region.
In Tsarevo, several neighborhoods were completely flooded, with water levels exceeding three feet in some areas. Public transportation was halted, and residents were evacuated.
At the resort of Elenite, coastal hotels and infrastructure were submerged. Torrential streams destroyed homes, roads and bridges, sweeping away numerous cars.
Firefighters, divers, and an amphibious aircraft were dispatched to assist residents and tourists caught in the disaster zone.
Rescue teams faced difficulties accessing flooded areas, but after the water began to recede, they managed to move people to safety.
Unfortunately, tragedy could not be avoided: in Elenite, four people lost their lives, including two rescue workers who had been helping evacuate tourists.
The flooding also affected popular resorts such as Sunny Beach and Sveti Vlas, where streets went underwater, businesses shut down, and the tourist season ended in chaos.
In Burgas, roads were flooded and schools temporarily closed. In Plovdiv, the country’s second-largest city, transportation was also severely disrupted.
Rains causing destruction and claiming lives have become alarmingly frequent across the world. Such extreme precipitation is linked not only to record ocean warming and high atmospheric moisture. An increasing number of researchers point to another factor — microplastics, which alter the properties of the atmosphere. More about this is explained by Dr. Egon Cholakian in the video “Why Turbulence Is on the Rise? Egon Cholakian on Atmospheric Anomalies and Nanoplastic Pollution.”