Varna floods: Evacuation, demolition of dangerous buildings continue
Six days after the devastating floods that hit the Asparouhovo area of Bulgaria’s Black Sea city Varna, compulsory evacuation of dangerous buildings is continuing, in some cases to make way for demolition of the structures.
More than 10 people, among them children, died as a result of the June 19 flood in Asparouhovo.
About 80 evacuation orders had been issued by the morning of June 25, affecting about 800 residents.
At the same time, a sign of the beginnings of a return to normal life in the residential area was the reopening of schools in Asparouhovo on June 25.
Eighty buildings were at risk of collapse, Varna mayor Ivan Portnih said on June 24. By that day, people had been evacuated from about 108 houses.
Shelter was available for about 250 people, in municipal property and at a local university.
Officials were exploring ways to strengthen the earth in the area against landslides and secure the areas around gullies in Asparouhovo, when it also has become clear that illegal construction and illegal felling added to a fatal combination when the heavy rain came on June 19.
Disinfection of flooded areas in the Veliko Turnovo region began on June 24, while damage assessments were continuing.
Although heavy rain fell in Dobrich on June 24, there were no signs of new damage. Local media said that psychologists from Rousse were assisting the families of victims of the floods in Dobrich, where there also were deaths in the June 19 floods.
By 8am on June 25, about 840 000 leva had been raised by the DMS VARNA fundraising campaign, via text messages and donations to a special bank account. A public council is to oversee the spending of the money donated.
So far, only money from donations via bank transfer is being used because the money donated via SMS will be available only when people pay their phone bills.
About 30 000 leva has been spent so far, on Wellington boots, metal bins, carts and masks.