French-Bulgarian initiative Bulga Risk, which would manage pilot-projects for prevention of natural disasters in 3 Bulgarian regions, would be operational in mid 2008, Mediaterre said.

A prototype for a specific database would be made and training sessions for Bulgarian specialists on risk management would be held as part of the project.

Evaluation maps of areas struck by disasters would be made by comparing satellite images of the areas before and after the disasters.

Over the past years Bulgaria had many natural disasters; forest fires, eathquakes, screes, floods, snowstorms, among others.

French partners in the project are Spot Image, Infoterra, Boost technologies and the organisation as SERTTT and DDSC, while the Bulgarian partners are the Centre of satellite image application (ReSAC), the University of Sofia, The National Forest Agencies and the National security service for fire.

The project followed the EU directive on evaluation and management of flood risks, which requires all EU member states to evaluate the risks national basins before 2011 and create maps of the most dangerous areas.