A powerful flash flood struck the Black Sea resort of Elenite on Friday morning, October 3, leaving at least three people dead, six women rescued, and widespread devastation across Nessebar Municipality.

The disaster followed one of the heaviest rainfalls recorded in the region in recent years, with 200–250 mm (7.9–9.8 inches) of rain falling in just a few hours.

Authorities confirmed that the first victim, a man, was found drowned in the basement of a hotel building in Elenite. Later in the day, Interior Minister Daniel Mitov announced that two rescuers responding to emergency calls had also been swept away by floodwaters and died while trying to save others.

Deputy Interior Minister Toni Todorov said six women, including three Polish tourists, were evacuated from submerged hotels as water levels rose rapidly.

The BG-ALERT system was activated at 11:42 local time when a ravine above Elenite overflowed, sending torrents of water into hotels, parking lots, and streets. Cars were carried into the sea, while guests were forced to flee to higher floors.

More than ten fire brigades, reinforced by rescue units from Nessebar, Pomorie, and Varna, were deployed. Divers, amphibious vehicles, and naval boats joined the operation, evacuating stranded tourists and staff from submerged buildings.

Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov confirmed additional naval units are on standby, while the army dispatched two rescue boats to assist.

Energy Minister Rosen Stankov reported that a local power substation was briefly flooded but drained before major outages occurred. Several transformers were preemptively shut down to prevent surges. Engineers are now inspecting flood-hit areas for damage.

Regional Development Minister Ivan Ivanov said sanctions will be imposed on road authorities and the state company Avtomagistrali for failing to enforce motorway safety measures during the storm.

The flood was not limited to Elenite. A second wave of torrential rain hit the nearby coastal town of Sveti Vlas, destroying a sports complex, inundating homes up to the second floor, and sweeping numerous cars into the sea.

Nessebar Mayor Nikolay Dimitrov declared a state of emergency, ordered school closures, halted transport, and sealed off dangerous roads. He described the flooding as “unprecedented in recent memory,” noting that even proactive drainage clearing had failed to protect the historic Old Town of Nessebar, which was once again submerged.

In Sveti Vlas, emergency services reported that a man who called for help after being swept away in his car remains missing. Authorities believe he may have been carried into the sea, though divers have been unable to search due to dangerous currents.

The European Storm Forecast Experiment (ESTOFEX) had issued a Level 2 warning on October 2, predicting 200–350 mm (7.9–13.8 inches) of rainfall and warning of flash floods and landslides across eastern and southeastern Bulgaria.

Environment Minister Manol Genov admitted that the lack of flood monitoring stations in the Elenite area complicated forecasting and ordered inspections of Basin Directorate procedures for watercourse and construction management.

Meanwhile, meteorologists warn that more heavy rain is expected in the next 24 hours, raising concerns that the disaster zone could see additional flooding and landslides. (ILKHA)