Bulgaria – an environmental disaster on the coast

In the Black Sea resorts of Tsarevo and Ahtopol, not far from Burgas, heavy rains led to an environmental disaster. Rainfall and flooding destroyed local infrastructure, 12 bridges were washed away, and the water treatment and sewerage system was destroyed. Fecal water flows into the Black Sea without any filtration. Buildings and cars were under water. Mudflows carry household waste and dead animals into the sea. There are casualties among the population.

Despite the improved weather, the environmental situation in the region remains extreme. In sea water samples, a significant excess of the norms for microbiological and physical and technical indicators was found. As a result of putrefactive processes, water is saturated with manganese, which belongs to the group of heavy metals.

By decision of the operational headquarters, swimming at the resorts is prohibited. The situation with the quality of drinking water is no better - it has been declared unsuitable for use.

A debate has broken out among environmentalists and agricultural specialists about the impact of logging on the security of the region. “Many years ago, the forests were cut down, and Tsarevo was the main supplier of charcoal to Istanbul. Deforestation is the cause of floods in Tsarevo. When a forest is thinned, its ability to absorb rainfall is reduced,” said Associate Professor Georgiy Stefanov, an expert on climate change. However, former Deputy Minister of Agriculture Georgy Kostov considers these arguments to be speculation. In his opinion, only sanitary deforestation was carried out in flood areas.

According to preliminary data, more than 15 million euros will be required to eliminate the damage in the Tsarevo community. Local authorities turned to the military for help. They have already begun construction of pontoon bridges on the site of the destroyed overpasses. The district police are conducting raids in the affected areas to prevent incidents of looting. Part of the population was evacuated to neighboring towns and villages. “Additional forces and resources have been sent to the police, gendarmerie, border detachments, as well as the fire department,” said Alexander Zhartov, director of the Main Department of Internal Affairs and Communications.