The Burgas Regional Governorate has activated the BG-Alert warning system as a new cyclone threatens the Southern Black Sea coast, including the Tsarevo Municipality and the holiday resort of Elenite. Residents in flood-prone areas have been urged to leave their homes immediately.

Access to Elenite will be prohibited from 3:00 p.m. today, as authorities implement preventive measures to ensure public safety. Senior Commissioner Vladimir Marinov, director of the Burgas police, explained that a system has been set up for property owners wishing to retrieve essential belongings from their homes, shops, and warehouses before the village is closed. He added that the resort will remain closed until the Crisis Headquarters decides it is safe to reopen.

The municipality plans to request that the Ministry of Environment and Water appoint an expert commission to determine why the Cherna and Nestinarka rivers overflow long before reaching populated areas. Officials aim to restore and correct riverbeds to prevent further damage. If conditions worsen, all schools and kindergartens in the municipality may be declared non-school days.

Inspection teams from the Construction Control Directorate, Basin Directorate, and Regional Eco-Inspection are expected to arrive in Elenite to assess the causes of the disaster and evaluate the damage to infrastructure. The initial assessment has already revealed severely compromised buildings, including a bridge broken in two, prompting authorities to proceed with caution.

Regional Governor Vladimir Krumov highlighted the seriousness of the threat, noting that the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology (NIMH) has issued a red code warning for intense rainfall in the area. Authorities have suspended work in the most affected zones as a precaution.

Residents described the devastating effects of the flooding. Anastasia, a local, said: “We have no documents, no money, no business. All the apartments are submerged in water and partially in the sea. Thankfully, my parents were saved. For now, we are just trying to recover whatever we can, but most of the property is gone.”