Heavy rainfall triggers flash floods, floods in 34 areas

Heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours has triggered flash floods and floods in 34 areas in the counties of Bacau, Bihor, Bistrita-Nasaud, Cluj, Constanta, Galati, Hunedoara, Iasi, Maramures, Neamt, Salaj, and Suceava. "Missions to mitigate the effects of the hydro-meteorological phenomena have been carried out incessantly, with firefighters intervening in the affected areas for the evacuation of accumulated water from 205 yards, 63 basements /cellars and 40 dwellings, and to facilitate the flow away of water from households, through clearing ditches, gutters and footbridges," the Inspectorate General for Emergency Situations (IGSU) said in a press statement released on Friday. According to IGSU, special situations were recorded in Bihor County, where, high water made several people look for shelter in cars or the attic of their houses. Thus, in the town of Varciorog, an adult who was in the streets when the flood hit was saved, as well as a child from a car, and in the town of Hotar, three people sheltered in their houses were evacuated by firefighters. "Also, because of the accumulated water and mud deposited on the road, road traffic was temporarily affected on four national roads (DN1 / BH, DN 1F / SJ, DN 28 / IS and DN 1F / SJ) and a county road (DJ 191D / SJ), while traffic on DN 24C/IS was interrupted. At the same time, railway traffic is halted on railroad 606 between Pascani and Ruginoasa," the release reads. On Friday morning there were ongoing interventions to clear after floods in the counties of Iasi and Maramures. Firefighters were using motor pumps for the discharge of water from people's houses as well as specific means for removing mud and what is left behind from the floods. In order to activate self-protection measures for the citizens, the counties that were under a nowcasting code orange advisory issued 16 warning messages for the population under the RO-ALERT system. "Because of a large number of requests received from the citizens, for the efficient management of the emergencies at the level of the affected counties additional firefighting staff has been requested," IGSU said. The developments in dangerous meteorological phenomena are constantly monitored by the IGSU National Operational Centre. When necessary, people and operational means can be dispatched to affected areas from areas without an emergency. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Alexandru Florea, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)