Extreme Weather Events in Bulgaria for the Period 2001– 03 and Responses to Address Them 22

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22

Extreme Weather Events

in Bulgaria for the Period 2001– 03 and Responses to Address Them

R. Chakurova · L. Ivanov

Summary

Th e authors point to the great weather varieties in Bulgaria, which enable delineation of 5 climatic areas.

Th e climatic specifi cities of Bulgaria cause the occurrence of extreme weather events such as storms, hurricanes, tornados, extreme cold spells and ice-formation, torrential rains, fl oods, unusually warm spells, dry spells, etc. Th e report analyzes the causes and magnitude of disasters occurring for a three-year period (2001 – 2003) and which posed environmental and population risk. Th e role and place of the forces and resources of the Civil Protection Service, the ministries and other agencies for addressing the aft ermath and curtailing environmental risk and population casualties are highlighted.

Key words

extreme situation, weather disaster, extreme weather events, natural disasters, environmental risk

Introduction

Bulgaria is both a European and Balkan country. It is located in south-east Europe and occupies the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula, which is a bridge between Europe and Asia. Th e area of Bulgaria is 111,000 km2, which is 22 % of the Balkan Peninsula area. Bulgaria occupies 15th place in Europe in terms of territory size.

Although Bulgaria is located in the southern section of the moderate European climatic zones, it demonstrates great weather varieties, which are determined by the geographic location and landscape of the country. Th ere are fi ve climatic areas in Bulgaria: moderate-continental, transitional, continental-Mediter- ranean, Black Sea, and mountainous. Latitude is the principal driver for the fi rst three climatic areas, the geography for the mountainous climatic area, while the Black Sea area has been shaped by the infl uence of the Black Sea. Th e variety of the landscape with its characteristic forms – plains, hilly lands, and mountains, which occupy almost equal areas of the territory of Bulgaria. Th e northern parts of Bulgaria are under the infl uence of the continental air masses entering from the east and north, while the southern parts are under the Mediterranean climatic infl uence (south and south-west). Atlantic ocean air masses carry moisture and enter from the north-west into Bulgaria. Th e average annual air temperature in Bulgaria is 12 °C. January demonstrates the lowest monthly temperature and July the highest. Th e lowest temperature measured in Bulgaria was –38.3 °C, while the highest was +45 °C. Th e annual temperature amplitude is above 20 °C in the majority of the country, which suggests prevailing continental nature of the weather.

Th e winds are various in terms of direction and force. Th e north-west winds are the most common. Th e

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23822Extreme Weather Events in Bulgaria and Responses to Address Them

north-east winds bring dry air masses. In the summer they are hot and in the winter cold. Th e south winds are typical for the southern parts of Bulgaria, which occur more rarely. Breezes occur along the Black Sea coast. Th e diverse terrain creates conditions for the occurrence of local winds. Th e average annual precipitation in Bulgaria is not high at 670 mm. Most of the precipitation occurs as rainfall. Th e distribution of the precipitation on the territory of Bulgaria is irregular. Highest precipitation occurs in the mountains, and its quantity decreases from west to east. Th e annual precipitation distribution is of great importance.

Abundant precipitation in the spring and beginning of summer facilitates growth of agricultural crops.

Frequent dry spells occur at the end of summer and during fall, necessitating artifi cial irrigation.

Th e rivers are the biggest water sources in Bulgaria. Th e river network features high density, however most rivers are short and with inconstant output. Th e rivers demonstrate highest fl ow in spring, while water levels decline during the other seasons. Only the Danube river is navigable. Th e rivers Iskur, Maritza, Struma, Mesta, Yantra, etc. have great economic importance. Th e waters of the Bulgarian rivers fl ow down into two water basins – the Black Sea and Aegean.

Th e climatic specifi cities of Bulgaria cause the occurrence of extreme weather events such as storms, hurricanes, tornados, extreme cold spells and ice-formation, torrential rains, fl oods, unusually hot spells, etc. For a 3-year period (2001 – 2003), forest and fi eld fi res, storms, strong winds, rainfalls, fl oods, etc. oc- curred ( > Tab. 1).

⊡ Tab. 1

A comparative table of the extreme weather events, which have occurred on the territory of Bulgaria until 08.10.2003

Event Year Number Deaths Injured Collateral damages

(in BGN) Storms, strong winds, and rains 2001

2002 2003

148 388 339

3 2 2

1 2 2

3,750,682

Hail 2001

2002 2003

32 39 13

26,670,929 680,000

Floods 2001

2002 2003

29 136 154

1 106,457,720

Fires 2001

2002 2003

30,948 18,404 22,109

104 96 68

260 213 181

5,378,585 14,190 Snow-drifts/ice formation 2001

2002 2003

164 243 77

2 3

1 20

Source: Resources of Civil Protection Service’s Information and Administration Center, Ministries and Agencies, Sofia. 2001 – 2003, official report.

Th e greatest number of fi res (30,948) was recorded in 2001. Th e number decreased throughout the following years, and it was lowest in 2002 (18,404). Th e higher number of forest fi res was not always proportionate to the environmental risk and human casualties. Th us, the number of forest fi res for 2002 was 18,404, while the aff ected area was 651,360 quarters of an acre (about 3 times as much as in 2001). Th e trend in the fi eld fi res was retained, about 6,550 quarters of an acre burnt crops of wheat and other agricultural crops.

Th e fi res, which occurred during the peak 2001, created emergent situations in the regions of Kurdjaly, Sliven, Stara Zagora and Bourgas, and in 2002 in the regions of Montana, Lovech, Sofi a, Pazardjick, and

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239 Extreme Weather Events in Bulgaria and Responses to Address Them22

Kurdjaly. Th e large number of burnt areas in the aff ected regions infl uenced the environmental balance there because unique natural habitats had been destroyed. Th e principal causes of fi re occurrence were:

incautious fi re handling, high temperatures and dry spells, arson, etc.

Second in terms of signifi cance were storms, snow-drift s, ice formation, and torrential rains. Th ere was an evident trend of increased number of such events. In 2003, their number was 3 times higher ( >

Tab. 1). Th e environmental consequences were: 1 – 2 m high snow-drift s, which blocked and paralyzed road traffi c. High-voltage power-lines disruption occurred with impaired power supply of hundreds of settlements; disrupted automatic phone connectivity with isolation of the aff ected populated localities;

disrupted water supply, heating, medical care, and supply of essential products, destruction of buildings, facilities, etc. Snow storms and snow-drift s have been observed at 2 – 3-year intervals, and they have been most pronounced in northern and eastern Bulgaria. 50 – 60 % of Bulgaria is threatened by snow-drift s on an annual basis.

Floods might occur following abundant rains, snow melting, and partial or complete destruction of 30 large and 600 small dams. Following the above, the most complicated situation is anticipated in the lowlands and basins of the Danube, Maritza, Tunja, Mesta rivers, and the Iskur, Batak, Trakietz, Topol- nitza dams, and along the Black Sea coast. Huge areas may go underwater in the event of fl oods (more than 910 square kilometres), and 83 populated localities may be aff ected. Only the Danube river is a risk factor for 30 populated localities with a population of 515,000 and about 73,000 quarters of an acre of agricultural plots. Local fl oods occur in the capital city and other large cities in the event of torrential rains.

Partial fl oods occur along the Black Sea coast from tidal waves during stormy and prolonged east winds, and strong earthquakes with sea epicenter.

A signifi cant problem for Bulgaria is the dry spells and the few potable water sources. Th e Republic of Bulgaria has the lowest water resources per capita among the European countries. Circulation processes during summer and fall cause soil moisture stock decline, which has an indirect impact on the mass fi eld and forest fi res, as well. Th ese processes are the cause of occurrence of long-term dry spells in 30 – 40-year intervals, which recently have become one of the main problems of Bulgaria. Th e increasingly higher drought and waterlessness for the duration of decades in the whole country have caused incalculable losses for the national economy and the population. Water supply restrictions have been imposed on hundreds of populated localities.

Th e intensity of the reported weather events demonstrated an increasing trend. Fires have become more frequent due to the high temperatures and prolonged dry spells resulting from global warming. From the data for the 3-year observation period (2001 – 2003), the trend was preserved of a greater number of days with abundant snowfalls, snow-drift s and ice formation, which had caused disastrous situations in individual regions on the territory of Bulgaria. Th e intensity of the abundant precipitation and fl oods was unstable, and an increasing trend was observed for the period 2001 – 2003 under report. Landslides have been caused due to the abundant and torrential rains, and a sustained trend of increasingly higher land- slide number has been observed since 2001 so far ( > Tab. 1).

Th e weather events occurring on the territory of Bulgaria led to huge material damages, which refl ected signifi cantly upon the economy. Th e greatest material damages were incurred by fl oods (BGN106,457,720 for 2002), hailstones, landslides, fi res, etc.

Th e management bodies and the units of the Civil Protection Service, and the ministries and agencies have participated with staff and equipment in addressing the aft ermath of extreme situations resulting from weather events in compliance with the Regulation for the Organization and Activities for Address- ing the Aft ermath of Disasters, Accidents and Catastrophes. With the exception of the forces of SA Civil Protection, signifi cant forces and resources of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Environment and Waters, Ministry of the Interior, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, SA Power Engineering and Resources, BRC, etc. have been involved to combat disasters and ac- cidents ( > Tabs. 2 and 3).

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Conclusion

Th e following inferences may be drawn based on statistical data analysis:

1. Both anthropogenic (caused by human actions) and natural disasters occurred on the territory of Bulgaria during the observation period (2001 – 2003).

2. Highest environmental risk were posed by the following weather events: storms, snow-drift s, ice formation, torrential rains, fl oods, and dry spells.

3. Casualties among the population were not proportionate on all occasions to the environmental risk.

4. Th e eff ective involvement of the special forces of SA Civil Protection, the ministries and agencies, has contributed to limiting the environmental risk and population casualties.

5. Th e material and human loss during weather events determined the need for the prevention of health hazards of extreme weather events to fi nd place among national priorities.

6. Eff orts for prevention of diseases and casualties resulting from weather events should be included in the national and local plans for health care delivery to the population in critical situations.

References

Andreev VM (1994) Applied research achievements for improv- ing the prevention eff orts for protection against hydro me- teorological disasters. In: Applied research conference on population protection during disasters and accidents. Col- lected Works XІІ, Sofi a, p 8 – 9

Bulgarian National Committee on the Decade (1994) Natural Disaster Risk Reduction Programme until 2000. Collected Works, Sofi a

(2000) CP Report before the Stability Pact Operations Group, Sofi a. 19 – 20.10.2000. Offi cial report.

(2003) Resources of Civil Protection Services Information and Administration Center, Ministries and Agencies, Sofi a.

2001 – 2003, offi cial report.

Mihaylova I, Chakurova R (2000) Th e Role of Bulgarian Units for Addressing the Earthquakes in Turkey in 1999, 4th Medical Geography Congress with International Attend- ance. Collected Works, Sofi a

(1998) Regulation for the Organization and Activities for Ad- dressing the Aft ermath of Disasters, Accidents, and Catas- trophes, DCM No 18/23.01.1998. Offi cial governmental document, Sofi a

Chakurova R, Mihaylova I (2001) Disaster Situations in Bulgaria, which Pose Population and Environmental Risk. 7th Medi- cal Geography Symposium with International Attendance.

Collected Works, Sofi a

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241 Extreme Weather Events in Bulgaria and Responses to Address Them22

⊡ Tab. 2 Participation of the management bodies and squads of SA Civil Protection, the ministries and agencies in rescue and emergency recovery operations in Bulgaria from 01.01.2001 to 31.12.2001

No.

Disaster , accident , catastr

ophe type

Number

Participation of management bodiesCommitment of squads, forces and means

SA Civil Prot ection

Regional Committ ees

Municipal Committ ees

May or’

s Committ ees

Site C ommittees

Minist erial

Committ ees

OG of Ministries and Agencies OG of Civil

Prot ection

Direc tor ates SA Civil Protection specialist squads Squads of ministries and agencies

Number of participa tions

Staff Equipment Number of participa tions

Staff Equipment

1Fires (domestic, forest, field, etc.)30,948412335344218145801892111,1523173,14238,1645,026 2Snow-drifts, ice formation164021812072326201695624411267410,9697,612 3Floods290118400010928116720259 4Hail3203141700050001717418 5Storms, strong winds and rains1483960339102202945210613343,4751,343 Source: Resources of Civil Protection service’s Information and Administration Center, Ministries and Agencies, Sofia. 2001 – 2003, official report.

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⊡ Tab. 3 Participation of the management bodies and squads of SA Civil Protection, the ministries and agencies in rescue and emergency recovery operations in Bulgaria from 01.01.2002 to 31.12.2002

No.

Disaster , accident , catastr

ophe type

Number Participation of management bodiesCommitment of squads and means

Opera tions groups as

per ROAAAD AC

Regional Committ ees

Municipal Committ ees

May or’

s Committ ees

Site C ommittees

Management bodies of ministries and agenciesSpecialist squads of ministries and agencies Number of participa tions

Staff Equipment Number of participa tions

Staff Equipment

12345678 910 1Fires18,45111610810541292,32114810,29485,92022,302 2Snow-drifts and ice formation243265732248321811126310,6364,683 3Hails68327291713826791,449153 4Storms, strong winds and rains38834121567211183541283212,618739 Source: Resources of Civil Protection Service’s Information and Administration Center, Ministries and Agencies, Sofia. 2001 – 2003, official report.