A red alert for dangerous rainfall has been issued for Varna, with the most intense rain expected in the afternoon. The warning comes a day after torrential rain flooded streets and underpasses in the city, left cars and vans stranded, brought down trees and led to the evacuation of people.
Among the affected areas is the Vegetable Market district. By morning, the water there had drained away, but workers continued clearing up and were preparing for possible new flooding.
“It was something nightmarish, something terrifying! Vegetables were floating everywhere, there were stranded cars and stranded vans. Something terrifying!” said Irena Filipova, who works at a nearby commercial establishment.
According to her, water also entered a shop located on slightly higher ground. After the downpour, the workers closed the establishments, called 112 and tried to unblock the drains.
“We closed the establishments. We started calling 112. We tried to unblock the drains, but there was absolutely no result,” Filipova said.Clogged drains hinder water runoff
According to Varna Municipality, one of the causes of the flooding is drains clogged with autumn leaves, waste and vegetation. This hinders water runoff and increases the risk of localised flooding during intense rainfall. Workers in the market area fear that uncleared drains could once again cause problems during the new downpour.
Due to the expected deterioration in the weather, November 3 has been declared a non-school day in Varna. Students will not attend classes, and the decision was announced at around 21:30 on November 2. The late announcement sparked dissatisfaction among some parents.
The city remains on alert for the new rainfall, while employees and workers at the affected locations clear up the aftermath of the flooding. The main risk is that streets and underpasses could become blocked again if the infrastructure is unable to handle the expected amount of water.