Civil defense

In a proactive move aimed at enhancing public safety and preparedness, Bulgaria is set to conduct a comprehensive test of its National System for early warning and notification of the population in case of air danger. Scheduled for April 1, 2024, the test will commence at 11:00 a.m. and will cover the entirety of the Sofia Municipality.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs in Bulgaria has initiated a comprehensive nationwide operation in response to alarming bomb threats received via email targeting various schools. The operation, which commenced early in the morning before the start of classes, involves thorough checks of educational institutions across different cities.

Torrential rains witnessed lately have brought a sigh of relief for Istanbul, whose dams were at the risk of drying up due to the scorching heat during summer fueled by the El Nino phenomenon, as the filling rates in Istanbul dams are on the rise.

The tests of the BG ALERT system start from Tuesday. First, this will be done in the Gabrovo region. The tests will continue until November 29, when there will be a national test. Subscribers of all three mobile operators will receive these messages.

A bizarre and unsettling message sent to mobile phones by the BG-ALERT early warning system startled Bulgarians from all walks of life.

An exercise called Hephaestus 2023 for evacuation of a building due to earthquake or fire for people with disabilities was held on Thursday at the building of the National Confederation of People with Disabilities (ESAMEA) in Ilioupoli, southern Athens. 

A fire has broken out in the Stamata area in eastern Attica.

According to the Fire Service, a combination of ground and aerial forces is actively working to extinguish the fire.

Civil protection authorities have issued a warning via the 112 emergency number, advising residents to be on alert.

Additional details are currently unavailable.

There is a very high fire risk on Thursday in the regions of Attica and the region of Central Greece ( Viotia and the island of Evia), according to the Fire Risk Forecast Map issued by the General Secretariat for Civil Protection at the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Ministry.

The head of Maui's emergency management agency -- who said this week he did not regret the decision to not sound powerful warning sirens as a deadly wildfire ripped through the Hawaiian town of Lahaina -- resigned Thursday.

The likelihood of an increase in drought, albeit not a high-risk one, in Greece in the next few years is obvious from scientific models used and research conducted in the European Union based on recent temperature increases and rainfall decreases.