Two people have died and three are missing in the coastal town of Tsarevo, Burgas region, as torrential rains hit Bulgaria’s southern Black Sea coast. In Tsarevo 306 litres per square meter of rain fell in the past 24 hours. The rainfall exceeded the monthly norm eight times. More than 100 people have been evacuated from the beach and the camping sites.

At a briefing after a meeting with the crisis headquarters in the Municipality of Tsarevo, Bulgaria’s Premier Nikolai Denkov called on people in the affected region not to go into the sea in the next 48 hours, because it is stormy and dangerous. Tap water is contaminated and can’t be used for drinking. Currently, it can only be used for domestic purposes. Water samples will be taken over the next few days and information will be submitted when the indicators are within normal limits.

Many volunteers are expected. Premier Denkov called on all of them to visit the crisis headquarters in Tsarevo first. Ahtopol, Varvara, Sinemorets and Rezovo are completely cut off. Detours will be sought. Meteorologists are predicting that it will stop raining.

• Heavy floods and cars washed into the sea in Tsarevo municipality

  Photos: BTA; BGNES