Bulgaria and Romania experienced the impact of severe weather conditions over the weekend, resulting in two fatalities. The strong winds, accompanied by heavy rain and snowfall, caused power disruptions and blocked roads in the eastern regions of both countries. In response to the situation in the Varna region on the Black Sea, Bulgaria declared a state of emergency.

A 43-year-old woman lost her life in Varna on Saturday evening after being struck by a falling tree. Additionally, two emergency responders sustained injuries, according to a police statement.

In Sofia, a tree fell onto a passing car on Saturday, resulting in the death of the 65-year-old driver and causing serious injuries to his wife, as reported by authorities.

Varna Mayor Blagomir Kotsev, announcing the state of emergency on Sunday, emphasized the challenging conditions faced by emergency teams due to powerful winds, torrential rains, and, in some areas, snowfall. He urged residents to stay indoors, highlighting power outages in five municipalities and road blockages caused by fallen trees.

Although Varna Airport remains open, some flights have been delayed or canceled. Two smaller municipalities near Varna also declared a state of emergency on Sunday.

Bulgaria’s national weather service issued an orange alert on Sunday due to the risk of strong winds across the entire eastern part of the country. The warning indicated the potential for winds reaching up to 125 kilometers per hour and waves exceeding 5 meters along the Black Sea coast.

The same storm impacted Romania, leading the country to close ports on the Black Sea.

Romania’s national weather service raised the alert level to the highest due to heavy rainfall and strong winds, advising residents to stay indoors.

Thousands of households in both countries were left without electricity, and firefighting teams worked to clear 140 fallen trees. Severe weather conditions also resulted in damage to 40 cars.

Officials from Romania’s emergency services confirmed no additional fatalities, providing reassurance amid the challenging weather conditions.

This incident follows earlier severe weather-related fatalities in Bulgaria, where Storm Ciaran affected Western Europe.

Scientists emphasize that the increasing frequency of extreme weather events is linked to global warming caused by the release of greenhouse gases.