Heavy rain and floods have hit parts of northeastern Bulgaria, killing at least 12 people, while an unknown number are missing, officials have said. Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski, who arrived in worst-hit Varna early on Friday, called the flooding "a huge tragedy." The government has declared Monday, June 23, a national day of mourning. Forecasts are saying the extreme weather is set to continue.
A state of emergency has been declared in Black Sea resort town of Varna's low-lying district of Asparuhovo, where many houses are flooded and dozens of cars have floated away and are lying on top of each other. Rescue teams are bringing distressed people to temporary shelters.
Police in the worst-hit Varna have confirmed that 10 bodies have been recovered from floodwaters. It was unclear how many more people were missing after torrential rain flooded large parts of the coastal town. Two more bodies were pulled from muddy waters in the northern city of Dobrich, AP reported.
Large parts of the Balkan country have been hit by heavy rain and hailstorms, and hundreds of people have been left without electricity and food supplies.
The national meteorological service said the rain that fell in eastern Bulgaria in the past 24 hours equaled the usual amount per month and warned that more rain was expected.
"The tragedy is enormous. I am here on a street in the suburb of Aspruhovo. The street is not here, the houses are not here, there are cars on top of each other," Varna mayor Ivan Portnih was quoted by Reuters as saying.
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| An elderly woman makes her way over the flooded street in the town of Varna, Bulgaria, on Friday, June 20, 2014. AP Photo |
Large parts of the Balkan country have been hit by heavy rain and hailstorms, and hundreds of people have been left without electricity and food supplies.
The national meteorological service said the rain that fell in eastern Bulgaria in the past 24 hours equaled the usual amount per month and warned that more rain was expected.
"The tragedy is enormous. I am here on a street in the suburb of Aspruhovo. The street is not here, the houses are not here, there are cars on top of each other," Varna mayor Ivan Portnih was quoted by Reuters as saying.
