site.btaFloods Prompt BG Alert Activation around Tsarevo and Sozopol

Police and local authorities deployed multiple teams around Tsarevo and Sozopol to monitor flooded roads and rivers after heavy rain in the area, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

The downpours cut traffic on several road sections, briefly flooded streets and campsites, and prompted Tsarevo Municipality to activate the BG Alert warning system, but no casualties or serious damage were reported.

Four teams from Tsarevo Police Department were on the ground, with arrangements in place for two more police teams to work overnight, the Interior Ministry said. Twelve officers were on standby to be deployed in six additional teams if needed and if the weather worsened.

Heavy rain in the Tsarevo area began early on Saturday. In addition to the regular patrols, three extra police teams were deployed to inspect known critical points, the Interior Ministry reported. Around 130 liters of rain per square meter were recorded, which halted traffic on national road III-9901 near the new factory in Tsarevo and in the Padnalite Mostove area, after water from gullies outside the municipality’s built-up areas overflowed onto the road surface, draining from the higher parts of the mountain.

Tsarevo Municipality activated the BG Alert system on Saturday because of a forecast for more heavy rain overnight.

In Lozenets village, a Tsarevo police team temporarily closed Georgi Kondolov Street behind the Lozenets holiday village, where the road was flooded, mainly by water coming from the main road and other nearby streets, as this is the lowest point. All villages were inspected, and contact was established with all mayors and deputy mayors, as well as with the local fire service in Tsarevo. There was no damaged infrastructure or material loss. The area around the Arapya campsite was thoroughly checked; only caravans and bungalows located right next to the gully running past the campsite were slightly flooded. Most of the properties there are illegal and have been unlawfully erected on farmland. The BG Alert system was activated. There were no people in distress.

On the territory of Sozopol Municipality, the section of third-class road III-7908 from Zidarovo village towards Prisad village up to Dimchevo village was closed because it was under water. The section of municipal road from Izvor village to the junction for Zidarovo village was opened to traffic despite the flooding, as the water was receding quickly. Three cars got stuck, and a fire service team was sent to take them out of the danger zone.

The Interior Ministry noted that the dyke of the Izvorska River, into which the Fakiyska River flows, broke and a family of four was evacuated from a house in the village of Izvor. There was no danger to the other houses and residents. The road to Izvor remained open, but the road through Izvor to Gabar, Zidarovo and Varshilo was closed.

Police patrols were deployed in all critical areas.