A surge of the Black Sea water levels left the seafront of the Sunny Beach resort underwater, Bulgarian National Television (BNT) reported on March 10 2010.

Four hotels, many stores, offices and streets had been flooded by the advancing seas. Sand and other debris were reported scattered around the seafront.

There were no reports of structural damages or casualties. Reportedly the flood was caused by the lack of levees, the construction of which falls under the responsibility of the beach concessionaires. There were no such embankments along the coast, BNT said.

It is not uncommon for the Bulgarian coast line to be battered by high waves. Focus news agency said waves could reach up to eight metres in places like Shabla, north of Sunny Beach.

"In winter, when the water is colder, the wind blows mainly form the east or northeast. When the wind is stronger, the sea is rough. Yesterday (March 9) and the night before yesterday, the wind was at 67km/h, mostly from the east causing rough seas" Shabla mayor Krasimir Krastev was quoted by Focus as saying.

Hotels in Albena at the seashore had been flooded, while in Kranevo, restaurants and places of entertainment next to the sea had been inundated, Focus said.

Meanwhile, Sofia and other parts of Bulgaria experienced a slight lull in the onslaught, but meteorologists said the respite would be short-lived.

Snowfall was expected to resume and continue for the night across the country, including the Black Sea coast and Sunny Beach, parts of which were already flooded by sea water. Along the coast, however, precipitation was expected to be mainly rain.

By the early afternoon of March 11 skies are expected to clear.

Average temperatures for Bulgaria would be between -3 and 2C, while in the mountains at 2000m temperatures could drop to about -6C.