Torrential rain floods Varna streets and underpasses, triggers BG-Alert
Heavy rain flooded streets and pedestrian underpasses in Bulgaria's third city, Varna, on Monday, prompting the mayor to activate the national BG-Alert system.
Torrential rain flooded streets and pedestrian underpasses in Varna, Bulgaria's third-largest city, on Monday, prompting mayor Blagomir Kotsev to activate the national BG-Alert warning system over the risk of flooding and strong winds.
The city, home to more than 300,000 people on the Black Sea coast, had recorded 76.5 litres of rain per square metre by early afternoon, according to the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology, with more rain forecast through the week. Residents were urged to avoid underpasses and low-lying parts of the city.
A road bend between Tsar Osvoboditel and Primorski boulevards, near the Summer Theatre, was closed completely, regional police said. Heavy flooding also hit the roundabout at Levski and Osmi Primorski Polk boulevards and Devnya Street, a key traffic route, while problems were reported on the road to Golden Sands. Pedestrian underpasses at the railway station, the University of Economics and on Shipka Street were flooded; the station underpass was closed to pedestrians.
Fire crews responded to 25 call-outs, including 13 fallen trees, nine flooded buildings and three flooded road sections, with one person evacuated from a car, authorities said. The city said storm drains clogged with autumn leaves were the main cause of the flooding; about 30 teams were pumping out water and had opened inspection shafts to speed up drainage, prioritising main roads and the areas around hospitals, schools and kindergartens.
Forecasters issued a red alert for heavy rain in Varna and four other regions - Dobrich, Haskovo, Kardzhali and Smolyan - for Tuesday, with more than 65mm of rain and strong north-easterly winds expected. Varna's schools were ordered to switch to remote learning on Tuesday. Nearby Dobrich recorded about 40 litres per square metre of rain, flooding central boulevards, while Ruse logged 35.6 litres per square metre over 30 hours and winds of up to 60 km/h that brought down trees, one of which fell on a car.
In Varna, the flooded pitch forced a 90-minute delay to a First League football match between Cherno More and Botev Vratsa.
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What we know
- Official · Varna mayor Varna's mayor activated BG-Alert after torrential rain flooded streets, underpasses and a key road junction on Monday.
- 1 outlet · NOVA News Rainfall reached 76.5 litres per square metre, with a red alert issued for Tuesday.
- 1 outlet · NOVA News Fire crews responded to 25 call-outs, including 13 fallen trees and nine flooded buildings.
- 1 outlet · NOVA News Clogged storm drains, blocked by autumn leaves, were identified as the main cause.
- 1 outlet · NOVA News Schools in Varna will move to remote learning on Tuesday.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
The flooding adds to a run of autumn storms across south-eastern Europe this week, with Romania also issuing warnings for heavy rain and snow in the same period. Varna's closed roads and flooded transport links show how quickly intense downpours can overwhelm drainage in a city of 300,000 people once storm drains are blocked by fallen leaves.
Sources
Reported by 5 reports from 5 independent outlets in 3 countries.
- NOVA News: Пороен дъжд наводни улици и подлези във Варна, задействаха BG-ALERT (ВИДЕО+СНИМКА)
- Mediapool: Наводнени улици и подлези във Варна, кметът задейства BG-Alert
- HotNews: Inundații în Bulgaria cauzate de ploile puternice. Primarul din Varna a activat sistemul de urgență critică
- 24 Chasa: Отложиха "Черно море" - "Ботев (Вр) с час и половина заради потопа във Варна (снимки)
- ProTV Chișinău: Inundații în Bulgaria cauzate de ploile puternice. Primarul din Varna a activat sistemul de urgență critică
Source balance
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Questions and answers
- Why was BG-Alert activated?
- Varna's mayor triggered the system to warn residents of flooding and strong winds after torrential rain hit the city on Monday.
- How much rain fell?
- About 76.5 litres per square metre by early afternoon, with a red alert for more than 65mm forecast for Tuesday.
- Were there any casualties?
- No casualties were reported; one person was evacuated from a flooded car.
This article was written with AI assistance from 5 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.