Crisis events in Bulgaria that led to a state of emergency being declared increased by 112%

In 2023, there were a total of 104 crisis events in Bulgaria that led to a state of emergency being declared, marking an increase of 55 events compared to the previous year—a rise of over 112%. The majority of these emergencies were related to floods, storms, severe winter conditions, and forest fires, according to data from the National Statistical Institute (NSI).

Compared to 2022, declared states of emergency due to floods increased by 62.5%, and those related to forest fires rose by 85.7%.

In 2023, disasters affected, either partially or entirely, the territories of 88 municipalities across the country. The highest number of disasters was recorded in municipalities in the regions of Varna, Sofia, and Vratsa, while no states of emergency were declared in the regions of Kyustendil, Lovech, Sofia (capital), and Yambol.

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More than 20% of Bulgarians live in settlements impacted by disasters, according to NSI statistics.

In 2023, the number of fatalities resulting from disasters, accidents, incidents, and crises reached 667, equivalent to 10 deaths per 100,000 inhabitants. The largest number of fatalities occurred in road traffic accidents, accounting for 546 deaths, followed by 113 deaths from fires. The regions with the highest number of fatalities were Sofia (capital) with 57 deaths and Plovdiv with 50, while the regions of Pernik and Smolyan had the lowest, with 4 deaths each.

According to the NSI's assessment, in 2023, the funds spent on preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery from crisis events in the public sector amounted to 850,977 thousand BGN, or 0.46% of the country's GDP.