Widespread damage and at least 23 fatalities, 12 missing in Eastern Europe after rapid intensification of Storm Bettina

Widespread damage and at least 23 fatalities, 12 missing in Eastern Europe after rapid intensification of Storm Bettina

Eastern Europe is still grappling with the aftermath of Storm Bettina, a severe snowstorm that rapidly intensified over the Black Sea and impacted the region on November 26 and 27, 2023. Ukraine has reported significant casualties, with at least five deaths and 19 injuries in the Odesa region. The storm has not only disrupted life in Ukraine but also inflicted damage and caused fatalities in neighboring countries such as Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey and Russia.

Heavy snow and blizzards hit Romania and Bulgaria, claiming lives and disrupting power supply

Heavy snow and blizzards hit Romania and Bulgaria, claiming lives and disrupting power supply

Heavy snowfall, strong winds, and blizzards, unleashed by Storm Bettina, have led to severe weather-related incidents and extensive damage in parts of Romania and Bulgaria on November 26 and 27, 2023. The storm resulted in the deaths of at least 3 people and left dozens injured in several countries, including Moldova, Ukraine, and Russia.

Powerful Storm Bettina ravages Black Sea region with hurricane-force winds, severe storm surge, flooding and snowstorms

Powerful Storm Bettina ravages Black Sea region with hurricane-force winds, severe storm surge, flooding and snowstorms

Hurricane-force winds reaching speeds of 144 km/h (90 mph) and a significant tidal surge caused by a powerful Mediterranean cyclone named Storm Bettina have devastated parts of the Crimean Peninsula, particularly impacting Sevastopol and surrounding districts on November 25 and 26, 2023. The storm has led to widespread power outages, affecting nearly 500 000 residents, and causing considerable flooding and property damage. Bettina’s center moved over land early November 27 and is heading northward.

Large tornado rips through Lavovo, Bulgaria, damaging over 150 homes

Large tornado rips through Lavovo, Bulgaria, damaging over 150 homes

A large tornado struck the village of Lavovo, near Isperih in Bulgaria’s Razgrad Province on November 4, 2023, unroofing more than 100 homes and causing widespread infrastructure damage, including downed trees and electric poles. Accompanying storms inflicted further havoc across Central and South Bulgaria, with multiple regions experiencing power outages and flooding, prompting the declaration of a state of emergency.

Powerful storm inundates parts of Sofia, Bulgaria

Powerful storm inundates parts of Sofia, Bulgaria

Heavy rains during an overnight storm into July 7, 2020, have resulted in widespread flooding in the capital Sofia, Bulgaria. Streets and railway stations turned into rivers, damaging cars and impacting electricity poles that led to power disruptions. One person…

Major floods in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Romania

Major floods in Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria and Romania

Severe weather, including heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, has been affecting eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, central-southern Serbia, central-western Bulgaria and southern Romania over the past 48 hours, triggering floods. Several cities and municipalities in…

Flooding hits parts of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey as rivers overflow

Flooding hits parts of Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey as rivers overflow

Several rivers in southeastern Europe have broken their banks late March 2018, causing flooding in parts of northern Greece, southeastern Bulgaria, and northwestern Turkey. The Evros (Meriç / Maritsa) River in Greece has been at dangerous levels since March…

Biosphere reserve burning near Sofia, Bulgaria

Biosphere reserve burning near Sofia, Bulgaria

Vitosha mountain massif on the outskirts of Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria is burning for several days now and the fire can be seen from the center of Sofia.Until now mainly dry forests and dead vegetation is burning but the situation in the fire area might to

Very dangerous M 5.6 earthquake and strong aftershocks struck Bulgaria

Very dangerous M 5.6 earthquake and strong aftershocks struck Bulgaria

Strong and shallow earthquake with recorded magnitude of 5.6 struck Bulgaria on May 22, 2012 at 00:00 UTC. The epicenter was just 24 km (14 miles) W of SOFIA, Bulgaria (42.686°N, 23.009°E). Recorded depth by USGS was 9.4 km (5.8 miles). EMSC recorded 5.7 magnitude