Up to half of Bulgaria's population may face water shortages within a year due to climate change and unusually hot weather, climate change expert Georgi Stefanov said in an interview with public broadcaster BNR.

Currently, around 15% of the Bulgarian population is affected by the ongoing water crisis, with 24 districts and 297 settlements across the country already experiencing water restrictions. Stefanov warned that the number of affected areas is likely higher due to partial restrictions that are not fully accounted for. "They are increasing every day," he added.

The severe water shortage has been exacerbated by a surge in wildfires, which have further strained Bulgaria's water reserves. Stefanov noted that August and September, typically the driest months of the year, could bring even more challenges, including insufficient water supplies for extinguishing new wildfires.

Stefanov stressed the need for authorities to develop new plans for managing water resources. He called for a ban on logging in water catchment areas, highlighting that nearly 40% of the country's water supply zones are not legally protected, leaving them vulnerable to deforestation. "Everyone can cut trees there," he said.

As Bulgaria braces for another day of extreme heat, yellow and orange weather warnings have been issued for high temperatures. This week, a truck ban was enforced in several regions for the hottest hours of the day to protect the road network from potential damage caused by temperatures exceeding 35 degrees Celsius.

The ongoing climate crisis has had a devastating impact across Europe, with nearly 50,000 people dying due to high temperatures last year, according to an annual study. The study, which analysed temperature and mortality data from 35 countries, found that southern European nations, including Bulgaria, were particularly affected. Greece recorded an estimated 393 heat-related deaths per million inhabitants, followed by Bulgaria with 229 deaths per million.