The situation in Elenite and the wider Burgas region is slowly returning to normal after the devastating floods that struck the Bulgarian resort. Throughout the night, teams from the Fire Safety and Population Protection service, together with police and gendarmerie units, remained stationed in the area to ensure the security of residents and tourists who had been evacuated.
According to data from the Bulgarian Red Cross, around 80 people passed through the checkpoint set up at the Sveti Vlas municipality building. Ten of them required immediate medical attention, while the rest were provided with psychological support. Initial assessments put the number of evacuees at over 200, with all accommodated in nearby hotels in Sveti Vlas and Nessebar. Local authorities reported no further calls to the emergency hotline 112 for assistance with stranded people or vehicles. At present, no residents are awaiting evacuation.
Power supply remains cut in Elenite, though electricity has been restored across the rest of Nessebar municipality. Damage assessments are set to begin today, while an operational headquarters convened in Nessebar is tasked with planning cleaning and drainage operations. Regional governor Vladimir Krumov confirmed that four fire brigade teams and six police units continue to work on site. He added that a commission will also be formed to investigate the causes of the disaster.
The flood struck Elenite after an estimated 230 liters of rain per square meter fell within hours, creating two massive tidal waves that inundated hotels, houses, and streets. Entire buildings and vehicles were left underwater, while dozens of cars were swept into the sea. Residents and guests were forced to climb to upper floors to escape the surging waters before being rescued with the help of specialized vehicles, police, gendarmerie, and military units. The disaster claimed the lives of three people.
The mayor of Sveti Vlas, Ivan Nikolov, explained that the torrent originated from a deep ravine above the resort, which rapidly channeled the water through the settlement. He said the damage is likely in the tens of millions, with hotels, houses, and shops heavily affected. According to him, the nearby ravines had been cleared in preparation for the forecast bad weather, but the sheer volume of rainfall overwhelmed the infrastructure. Buildings near the ravine, constructed more than two decades ago, are now under review to determine whether any illegal structures contributed to the devastation.
Meanwhile, Tsarevo faced its own flooding emergency. This marks the second severe water disaster in two years for the municipality. Heavy rainfall of 450 liters per square meter in the village of Izgrev caused rivers to overflow and swept trees and debris along the main road to Tsarevo. Although there were no casualties this time, damage is extensive. Bridges in Arapya, Lozenets, and Nestinarka were inspected and declared structurally sound, but the road to Malko Tarnovo remains closed after a bridge near Izgrev collapsed.
Mayor Marin Kirov stressed that the destruction in Tsarevo was again the result of extreme water volumes, not poor maintenance. He announced that documentation will once more be submitted to the Commission on Disasters and Accidents for river correction projects, which were rejected after the 2023 floods. Kirov voiced hope that this time the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Interior will prioritize restoring both Tsarevo and Nessebar after the severe damage.