Bulgaria grapples with an extraordinary meteorological onslaught as torrential rains and stormy winds created havoc across the nation. The severe weather conditions led to power outages, streets turning into waterways, and a multitude of fallen trees.

In the capital city, Sofia, large pools of water accumulated in various areas, while in Pernik, fallen leaves obstructed manholes, resulting in extensive flooding. The mining town of Pernik, particularly its "Tsarkva" district, witnessed rain "lakes" that inundated the city center, the bus station vicinity, and the outer city ring. Fortunately, most of the water in critical areas had receded by the time the municipal authorities issued their updates.

Overnight, the "Emergency Assistance and Prevention" Directorate of the Metropolitan Municipality responded to eight reports of overturned trees and two instances of trees blocking roadways, primarily in the "Krasna Polyana" and "Vitosha" districts of Sofia. In response to the weather-related alerts, the mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova, activated the emergency teams. Ten teams were actively patrolling and attending to rainfall-related incidents throughout the day.

In Plovdiv, heavy rains left parts of "Golyamokonarsko Shose" underwater. Meanwhile, in Pazardzhik, numerous streets in the city's central area experienced flooding.

In the Stara Zagora region, the stormy winds brought down trees and branches, creating obstructions on roadways. A tree blocked one lane of the road in the Nikolaevo area on the Sub-Balkan route, and strong gusts of wind also caused branches to fall on the road between Kazanlak and Koprinka.

In Smolyan, the storm resulted in power outages. Light rain initiated during the night and was followed by an abrupt storm with powerful winds and heavy downpours. Downed trees, flooded roads, and blocked road sections led to numerous reports on social media platforms.

Electricity restoration was in progress in the three districts of Smolyan that were affected.

Warnings have been issued for 13 districts in the western part of the country, indicating significant rainfall and thunder. In the regions of Veliko Tarnovo, Gabrovo, Stara Zagora, and Kardzhali, a potent gusty south wind and significant rainfall are expected. The remaining 11 areas in Eastern Bulgaria are under a strong south wind warning, with the added risk of flooding.

The severe weather conditions pose significant challenges for both residents and local authorities as they cope with the aftermath of this extraordinary natural event.