Support for the population affected by flooding

In what should have been the hottest and driest month of the year, Romania has seen instead heavy rain, storms, floods and unstable weather.

România Internațional, 26.07.2018, 12:00

July 2018 has been the coolest summer day in the last 34 years, according to specialists. Meteorologists say the temperatures we’ve seen this month have been lower than usual, with no heat waves yet. Normally, July is the hottest day of the year and the amount of precipitation is low. Not so this year, when we’ve had rain almost every day. Meteorologists have been busy issuing one alert after another for heavy rain, storms and unstable weather across the country. Hydrologists have been warning against flooding on several rivers in Romania.

Following the rains and strong winds in recent days, tens of towns and villages have been affected in more than half of the country. Prime Minister Viorica Dancila says emergency aid will be provided to the areas affected by flooding, calling on the local authorities to keep a close eye on the situation in order to take action where necessary. Following the heavy rains and the atmospheric instability in recent days, fire fighters have been deployed to remove the effects of bad weather. They have helped drain the flood water from hundreds of homes and households. They are still on stand-by given that meteorologists have extended their yellow and orange code alerts for atmospheric instability and heavy rain in most of the country.

A number of sections of national and county roads have suffered the effects of bad weather, with bridges being destroyed and a number of roads caving in. The worst affected counties most recently have been those in the south-east, south, and central Romania. Maximum temperatures have reached 32 degrees Celsius. Last year in July, Romania was sweltering in a heat wave that had engulfed almost the entire country. Weather forecasts were constantly upgrading the colour alert codes, with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius. Temperatures did not drop much during the night either, staying at around 20 degrees Celsius. Returning to the situation this year, meteorologists have repeatedly expanded the validity of the yellow and orange alert codes for heavy rain and unstable weather.

Meteorologist Oana Paduraru: “In the counties and areas where the yellow code is in place we are expecting showers, thunderstorms and wind gusts. The weather remains unstable until the end of the week. The instability will also affect the rest of the regions where no alert has been issued, but on restricted areas.”

Hydrologists have also issued a number of yellow and orange code alerts for flooding on several rivers around the country.