The body of a 58-year-old Russian woman has been discovered in the Elenite resort, marking the fourth confirmed victim of the recent flooding along Bulgaria’s southern Black Sea coast. Her body was found buried under mud and tree debris near a villa in the upper part of the resort, close to the forest. The woman’s husband, who traveled from St. Petersburg after losing contact with her the previous day, alerted the authorities. Police confirmed that a pre-trial investigation has been launched into the circumstances surrounding her death.

Amid the ongoing disaster, law enforcement in the area detained two individuals suspected of looting properties in Elenite. The arrests took place near the resort’s beach area. According to information from the Bulgarian National Radio, the suspects - residents of Sveti Vlas - were found with large amounts of cash, including a significant sum in euros, as well as multiple room keys believed to be linked to the burglaries. Police described both men as “criminally active,” and the investigation into the thefts is ongoing.

A state of emergency remains in effect in the municipalities of Nessebar and Tsarevo, where flood recovery operations continue under difficult conditions. In Tsarevo, municipal workers have begun urgent efforts to clean the riverbed of the Cherna River and the ravine near the Strandzha village of Izgrev, as meteorologists warn of renewed heavy rainfall in the coming days. Heavy machinery has been deployed throughout Elenite to remove layers of mud, stones, and uprooted trees deposited by the floodwaters.

Mayor Marin Kirov of Tsarevo noted that while the newly built infrastructure had largely withstood the disaster, surrounding areas suffered significant damage. “Unfortunately, we are preparing for a second wave,” Kirov said, adding that the municipality is drafting a report to the interdepartmental commission to detail the destruction caused. “This time, the core infrastructure held, but there is peripheral damage around it,” he added.

Cleanup operations at the Elenite resort have mobilized extensive resources, including bulldozers, excavators, dump trucks, amphibious vehicles, and waste collection trucks provided by the municipalities of Nessebar and Tsarevo. Firefighters, soldiers, and volunteers are working side by side to clear roads, remove debris, and assist with evacuations. Senior Commissioner Nikolay Nikolaev, head of the regional fire safety and civil protection service, explained that the immediate goal was to reopen key infrastructure to allow vehicles to move and ensure the safe evacuation of remaining residents.

“Last night some people refused to leave, but today, without electricity and water, they wanted to be evacuated,” Nikolaev said. Several families have since been safely relocated, and structural engineers have inspected buildings to confirm that they are stable. “The initial assessment shows no danger to the structures, so we’ve allowed people and volunteers to begin cleaning their homes,” he added.

Damaged vehicles swept away by the floods are being collected and transported to a designated site near the Onyx Hotel between Sveti Vlas and Elenite. Meanwhile, teams from the electricity distribution company are working to restore power to the affected areas and repair damaged substations.

Cleanup efforts will continue throughout the weekend as authorities work to stabilize the situation, restore essential services, and prepare for potential new rainfall in the coming days.