Statistics оn disasters, accidents, incidents and crises оccurred - 2024

1. Hazardous events and casualties 

In 2024, there were 15 611 hazardous events (disasters, accidents and crises), representing an increase of 4.3% compared to the previous year. The highest relative share is occupied by fires resulting in material damage¹ - 50.2%, followed by road traffic accidents with casualties² - 45.9%. The annual increase for fires is 4.7%, and for road traffic accidents - 2.5%. An increase in the number of events compared to the previous year is also observed for extreme temperatures (119.4%) and 'drought' - 28.7%.

 

Fig. 1. Number of hazardous events by districts in 2024

 

 

 

¹ Fires - the survey includes fires resulting in casualties or material damage.

² Road traffic accidents - includes road accidents with casualties.

Fig. 3. Number of fires with casualties or material damage by regions in 2024

Fig. 4. Number of road traffic accidents with casualties by regions in 2024

In 2024, the number of human fatalities resulting from disasters, accidents and crises was 630, or 9.8 per 100 000 people of the country’s population. The highest share of them is occupied by those who died in transport accidents - 478 persons, followed by those who died in fires - 124 persons. The districts with the most fatalities were Plovdiv - with 69 people and Sofia (stolitsa) - with 57 people, while the fewest were observed in Smolyan - 5 persons.

 

Fig. 6. Number of human fatalities attributed to hazardous events per 100 000 people by district in 2024

The total number of injured individuals for the year was 9 429, or 146.4 persons per 100 000 people of the country's population. The highest relative share of injured persons was recorded in road traffic accidents - 96.0% and in fires - 3.6% of all injured persons. Regionally, the highest numbers of injured persons were reported in the districts of Varna - 1 048, Sofia (stolitsa) - 936 and Plovdiv - 759.

 

Fig. 8. Number of injured individuals attributed to hazardous events per 100 000 people by district in 2024

2. Disasters

In 2024, the country experienced a total of 38 hazardous events for which a state of emergency was declared, that is 66 less than the previous year and 11 less than in 2022. Among these, the largest share is held by disasters related to forest fires, floods, drought, and hailstorms. Compared to 2023, an increase is noted in the declared states of disaster resulting from a lack of water for drinking and domestic needs (drought).  

As a result of the occurred disasters, four individuals lost their lives.

In 2024, disasters partially or fully affected the territory of 47 municipalities from 19 administrative districts in the country. The total population in the municipalities affected by disasters was 1 308 715 people, or 20.3% of the country’s population.

 

Fig. 9. Municipalities with a declared full or partial state of emergency in 2024

3. Public expenditures for hazardous events

According to NSI's estimates, in 2024 the expenditures for preparedness, prevention, response, and recovery from hazardous events in the ‘General Government’ sector were BGN 1 578 700 thousand, or 0.77% of the country’s GDP.

In 2024, the total expenditures for crisis events decreased by 2.5% compared to the previous year, while the expenditures from the state budget increased by 4.1%, reaching BGN 1 550 600 thousand.

In 2024, the majority of reported expenditures were allocated to 'recovery' (50.3%) and 'preparedness' (40.7%), whereas in 2023, the expenditures for preparedness had the highest share (46.5%).

Table 1. Expenditures for hazardous events by use for the period 2021 - 2024¹

Use	Year
	2021		2022		2023		2024
	Thousand BGN	%	Thousand BGN	%	Thousand BGN	%	Thousand BGN	%
Total	7408400	100.0	4309300	100.0	1619200	100.0	1578700	100.0
Prevention	349700	4.7	420800	9.8	227300	14.0	104400	6.6
Preparedness	648900	8.8	1311400	30.4	752800	46.5	642600	40.7
Response	895400	12.1	295800	6.9	105400	6.5	36900	2.3
Recovery	5514400	74.4	2281300	52.9	533700	33.0	794800	50.3

¹ Estimate by NSI based on data from the Ministry of Finance.

Table 2. Expenditures for hazardous events as a percentage of the country’s GDP for the period 2021 - 2024¹

Use	(% of GDP)
	Year
	2021	2022	2023	2024
Total	5.30	2.56	0.88	0.77
Prevention	0.25	0.25	0.12	0.05
Preparedness	0.46	0.78	0.41	0.31
Response	0.64	0.18	0.06	0.02
Recovery	3.95	1.36	0.29	0.39

¹ GDP - At current prices. Data for 2024 is preliminary.

NSI's estimates show that in 2024, BGN 1 421 600 thousand, or 90.0% of the total funds for hazardous events, were spent by the central executive authorities, while the local authorities reported BGN 157 100 thousand of the total expenditures. The highest relative share among ministries and agencies was due to funds allocated for 'recovery' - BGN 726 700 thousand and 'preparedness' - BGN 591 400 thousand. The majority of the recovery funds were spent under the measure 'Aid to support the liquidity of farmers to overcome the negative economic impact of the Russian aggression against Ukraine', while in the 'preparedness' area the funds were spent for fire safety activities, management of the state reserve and wartime stocks, and others. The municipalities also reported the highest expenditures in the categories 'recovery' - BGN 68 100 thousand, and 'preparedness' - BGN 51 200 thousand.

Table 3. Expenditures by central and local authorities, by use in 2024, in thousand BGN¹

Use	(Thousand BGN)
	Total	Ministries and agencies	Municipalities
Total	1578700	1421600	157100
Prevention	104400	67900	36500
Preparedness	642600	591400	51200
Response	36900	35600	1300
Recovery	794800	726700	68100

¹ Estimate by NSI based on data from the Ministry of Finance.

^* Estimate by NSI based on data from the Ministry of Finance.

In 2024, 98.2% of the expenditures for hazardous events were funded by the state budget, while the remaining 1.8% were provided by the EU. The majority of EU-provided funds were allocated to 'recovery'. Unlike in 2024, in 2023, over half of the EU funds were directed toward 'preparedness'.

^* Estimate by NSI based on data from the Ministry of Finance.

In 2024, expenditures for civil protection in the event of natural disasters and accidents amounted to BGN 173 000 thousand, or 11.0% of the total expenditures for hazardous events (BGN 1 578 700 thousand). Compared to the previous year, expenditures for civil protection in the event of natural disasters and accidents increased by 5.7% and by 12.4% compared to 2022.

Table 4. Expenditures for civil protection, management and activities in the event of natural disasters and accidents for the period 2021 - 2024¹

Use	Year
	2021		2022		2023		2024
	Thousand BGN	%	Thousand BGN	%	Thousand BGN	%	Thousand BGN	%
Total	147600	100.0	153900	100.0	163600	100.0	173000	100.0
Prevention	40400	27.4	50800	33.0	42000	25.7	41800	24.2
Preparedness	39500	26.8	44500	28.9	48100	29.4	58800	34.0
Response	300	0.2	400	0.3	300	0.2	300	0.2
Recovery	67400	45.7	58200	37.8	73200	44.7	72100	41.7

¹ Estimate by NSI based on data from the Ministry of Finance.

Methodological notes

The data in the survey 'Hazardous events occurred in 2024' are based on annual reports submitted to NSI by municipal administrations and are supplemented with information from other NSI surveys and administrative sources.

Definitions

Disaster - a significant disruption of the normal functioning of society, caused by natural phenomena and/or by human activity and leading to negative consequences for the life or health of the population, property, the economy and the environment, the prevention, control and overcoming of which exceeds the capacity of the service system for the usual public protection activities.

State of emergency is a regime implemented in the zone of the disaster by legally designated authorities, related to the implementation of measures for a set period of time, with the aim of controlling the disaster and conducting rescue and urgent recovery operations.

Accident is an unpredictable or difficult to predict, limited in time and space action, with a high intensity of forces or as a result of human activity, endangering the life or health of people, property or the environment.

Accident of a large scale involving roads, highways and air traffic, fire, destruction of hydro-technical facilities, accidents caused by activities at sea, nuclear accidents and other environmental and industrial accidents caused by human activities or actions.

Hazard - a dangerous phenomenon, substance, human activity or condition that can cause loss of human life, injury or other health effects, property damage, loss of livelihoods and services, social and economic disruption or environmental damage.

Crisis - any situation in which a harmful event occurs, one that clearly exceeds the scale of everyday adverse events, posing a significant threat to human life and health, causing substantial property damage, or necessitating measures to supply essential goods to the population. A crisis is considered to be present when such a harmful event is deemed imminent. Armed conflicts and wars are also classified as crises.

Response - the actions taken immediately before, during or immediately after the disaster in order to save human life, reduce health impacts and ensure public safety and the basic needs of affected people.

Recovery - the restoration or improvement of the livelihoods, health, economic, physical, social, cultural and natural assets, systems and activities of the population affected by the disaster in accordance with the principles of sustainable development and ‘build back better’ to avoid or reduce future disaster risk.

Prevention - organizational and physical activities (measures) aimed at avoiding or reducing the negative consequences of disasters, for example, building protective facilities, cleaning river beds and others.

Preparedness - activities (measures) to increase the knowledge and capabilities of government structures, organizations, communities and people, which help to anticipate, respond and eliminate the consequences of probable, inevitable, occurring or already happened disasters, achieved as a result of actions taken in advance - e.g. conducting trainings, exercises, purchasing equipment and personal protective equipment and others.

Calculation Methods

Human fatalities from hazardous events per 100 000 people - The number of human fatalities is divided by the average annual population of the respective territorial unit and multiplied by 100 000.

Injured individuals from hazardous events per 100 000 people - The number of injured individuals is divided by the average annual population of the respective territorial unit and multiplied by 100 000.

Expenditures for hazardous events as a percentage of GDP - Expenditures by use are divided by the country's total GDP in thousand BGN (at current prices) and multiplied by 100. GDP data is based on the revision as of October 18, 2024.

The NSI’s assessment of expenditures for hazardous events in the „General Government“ sector for the reference year includes the following activities from Section VI of the Unified Budget Classification (UBC):

• Management of state and wartime reserves;
• Fire protection;
• Urgent activity to protect the population and the national economy;
• Defense-mobilization preparation, stockpile maintenance and capacities;
• Preventive activities to reduce the harmful consequences of disasters and accidents;
• Elimination of consequences from natural disasters and industrial accidents;
• Volunteer formations for disaster protection;
• International programs and agreements, donations, and foreign aid;
• Other activities for civil protection in the event of natural disasters and accidents;
• Geo-protection;
• Safety and storage of radioactive waste;
• Decommissioning of nuclear facilities.

In the event of an extraordinary crisis during the year, additional expenditures for these events are assessed separately, beyond the activities listed above in the UBC.

Additional Information Sources:

• For road accidents - Ministry of Interior;
• For railway accidents - National Railway Infrastructure Company;
• For aviation and maritime accidents - National Board for aircraft, maritime and railway accident investigation;
• For fires - AIS 'Accidents - fire safety and civil protection' of the Ministry of the Interior;
• For landslides - Register of landslide areas, Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works;
• For infectious diseases (for 2021 and 2022) - survey 'Deaths and mortality by causes' of NSI;
• For extreme temperatures - estimates by NSI, based on data from the National Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology;
• For hazardous events with a declared state of emergency - General Directorate Fire Safety and Civil Protection, Ministry of Interior;
• For animal diseases - Bulgarian Food Safety Agency;
• For droughts and water shortages - NSI survey 'Public Water Supply, Sewerage and Treatment';
• Financial data on public expenditures - NSI’s 'Public sector expenditures' study, based on data from the Ministry of Finance;
• Annual report on the implementation of the state budget, Ministry of Finance;
• Law on the state budget of the Republic of Bulgaria;
• Report on the expenditure of subsidy and capital transfer funds, Bulgarian Red Cross.

Statistical data and additional information on this topic can be found in the “Crisis Events” section on the NSI website: https://nsi.bg/en/content/2891/crisis-events.

Annex