"Flooding in Bulgaria's Sandanski municipality remains critical after heavy rains battered the country's southwest, prompting authorities to maintain a state of emergency near the Greek border. Footage filmed on Sunday shows heavily submerged homes, cattle pens and roads, with residents trying to recover some of their belongings. Resident of Novo Delchevo recalled the moment when the water surged into her house. "My mother [...] was standing inside while the water came in through the windows," she said. "My daughter's house looks nothing like it used to. And the young family had built a new kitchen and a new bedroom," said another resident. The resident of another village, Polenitsa, described how she barely made the escape. "I managed to get up to the second floor and onto the terrace. When I reached the neighbour, the water was up to my hips," she recalled. According to local media reports, authorities declared a disaster situation in Sandanski and nearby municipalities after intense rainfall, with an Operational Headquarters coordinating the response. Fire Safety teams, police units, and local volunteers are fully mobilised and working on the ground to assist residents. The Mayor of Sandanski, Atanas Stoyanov, stated that teams are doing "everything possible to respond to every signal" received."