Romania under siege from rain
October started with torrential rains in Romania, in particular in the south
Bogdan Matei, 08.10.2025, 14:00
Often overwhelming in the early hours of the day, traffic in Bucharest was unusually smooth on Wednesday morning. There were far fewer cars on the roads and very few people on the sidewalks. Many employees stayed home to work. Known as early risers, pensioners did not start their usual rounds of markets and shops. Teams of workers did not show up at public construction sites. The lively chatter of students on their way to school was also missing. In Bucharest and the satellite county of Ilfov, as well as in four other counties in the south—Constanța, Călărași, Ialomița, and Giurgiu—kindergartens, schools, high schools, and several universities stayed closed on Wednesday, as meteorologists had issued a red code warning for rain for the entire area, with rainfall of 110-120 liters per square meter.
The Emergency Situations Inspectorate advised people to postpone outdoor activities, close windows, and avoid areas with trees, poles, and billboards that could be knocked down by the wind. In the event of rising water levels, citizens were advised not to attempt to cross rivers or approach their banks, as hydrologists issued a red flood warning for Constanţa County and orange and yellow flood warnings for other counties in the south and east of the country. Due to strong winds, operations were suspended in all the Black Sea ports in Constanța County. There, two people on the roof of a car caught in the floodwaters were rescued by firefighters as they were responding to another call involving a person trapped on the hood of a car swept away by the flood. A fire truck, an rapid-response crew (SMURD), and an inflatable boat were sent to the scene. Meanwhile, public transportation has resumed in the county seat, but only on routes where it is safe to travel.
Firefighters have also warned that animals are exposed to major risks when rainfall is heavy, and that dogs should be released from their chains or kennels to protect their lives. It would also be a good idea to identify higher areas in advance where farm animals can be taken and temporarily sheltered in safety. The Department for Emergency Situations states that all emergency services remain in the field to support the population and manage serious situations. The institution recommends that the population follow official sources of information, comply with the recommendations of the authorities, and prepare for possible emergency interventions in the event of imminent risks.
The director general of the National Meteorological Administration, Elena Marinescu, told Radio Romania that the recent floods in the south of the country were caused by a cyclone that formed in the Mediterranean Sea and was fed by high levels of moisture from the western Black Sea basin.
