The National Institute for Hydrology and Water Management has issued on Wednesday a Red Code warning for floods in Galati County, in force until 21.00h. The hydrologists have also issued an Orange Code for floods for several counties in north-eastern and eastern Romania.
As a result of rainfalls recorded in the past hours, important leaks can occur on slopes, torrents, streams with severe effects of local flooding and rapid growth of flows and levels with breaches of danger levels in the Suhu and Geru basins, Galati County, hydrologists warn.
The Orange Code for flood came into force Wednesday at 00.10h and is available until 11.00h for Prahova and Buzau counties. From Wednesday morning at 6.00h until Thursday 6.00h the Orange Code will be in force for floods in Harghita, Neamt, Bacau, Galati, Constanta and Tulcea counties.
The staff of the Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISU) has been called to intervene in 60 cases for extracting the accumulated water in homes and households in Bucharest and Ilfov County. The Bucharest City Hall has called an emergency meeting.
Bucharest Mayor Gabriela Firea has convened a commandment to assess the existing situation in Bucharest due to heavy rains in the past hours and to determine together the intervention plan for the coming interval.
Heavy rains last night caused flooding in several counties and blocked traffic on major roads.
In Galati County, the railway traffic is blocked after the railroad was covered by water. Also last night the traffic on National Road 10, between Buzau and Brasov is halted at km 80, at Siriu.
The railway station in Galati, six trains could not leave for the usual transport and many have registered delays. On the tracks there is a large amount of water, media report.
In Galati County the villages of Gugesti, Urecheşti, Biliesti, Ploscuteni and the town of Adjud have been flooded.
Freight train traffic is jammed in the area of Barboşi Station, while passenger trains are travelling at low speed with a maximum of 5 km per hour.
Traffic is difficult on DN10 on Ploieşti-Buzau route. Traffic is also difficult on DN2 Focsani-Bacau.
Several homes were flooded last night in Prahova County. Fire-fighters have intervened with pumps to remove the water from 16 locations. Eight homes and 25 gardens were flooded following the rainfalls in the past hours. Prahova County is under Orange Code for rain until tonight at 20:00h.
People were evacuated and dozens of homes and households were flooded in Vrancea County too, for more than 12 hours under Orange Code for rain. Vrancea County is under hydrological and meteorological warning.
Gov’t allocates RON 87m for rebuilding local infrastructure
Local authorities from 25 counties will be supported to fund local repair works of the damaged infrastructure due to natural disasters caused by floods this year, the Government allocating, on Wednesday, through a decision, the amount of RON 86.7 million (approx. EUR 19 million).
On the other hand, the Ministry of Interior has announced that 530 people in flood-hit areas were preventively evacuated from their homes.
“The county authorities and local authorities are in charge with this. Some 510 people have already been evacuated. They were preventively evacuated. The 510 people were evacuated from three villages, 220 from one, 250 from another and from the third 60 people. Temporary accommodation is available and there is a possibility that those who want may go to their relatives until the Red Code ends and can return home,” said Secretary of State Raed Arafat, adding that all localities are in Galati County.
Schools, closed in Bacau
The schools in Bacau city are closed on Wednesday as of 11.0h, due to the risks of flooded basements and yards, city mayor Cosmin Necula has decided.
The mayor posted on his Facebook page an announcement saying he has decided on this measure due to the heavy rain, adding it is a preventive measure.
“In order to avoid any risk for children, I announce you that I have decided to close the schools as of 11.00h in Bacau and the buildings to be evacuated. All children may go home! I ask the parents to take their children home from schools,” the mayor wrote.