Ascultă Radio România Actualitaţi Live

Flooding in Romania

Romania needs long-term solutions to prevent flooding, said Prime Minister Victor Ponta after visiting several villages affected by flooding this week.

Flooding in Romania
Flooding in Teleorman. Foto: gov.ro

Articol de Radio România Internaţional, 24 Aprilie 2014, 12:18

Almost every year, especially in early spring, floods hit Romania.

This year has been no exception to the rule, as in the past few days, heavy rainfalls have wrought havoc in several counties in southern Romania.

The death toll stands at four.

Also, large areas of farmland and dozens of roads are submerged.

The most affected have been the counties of Teleorman and Olt, where hydrologists issued a code red alert against flooding.

Central authorities interrupted their Easter holiday and went to see some of the worst affected villages.

In Beius, Teleorman County, Prime Minister Victor Ponta, alongside the Minister of Regional Development and Public Administration, Liviu Dragnea, used an inflatable boat to reach the flooded roads of the village.

Ponta entered some of the locals’ houses, where people asked him to take urgent measures to rebuild the protection dam.

Actually people have been waiting for the authorities to start the works ever since the flooding of 2005.

“I wanted to see for myself what should be done to prevent things like this from happening in the future, because this is where the floods hit in 2005 and in other years as well. The General Director of the Romanian Waters National Administration explained the technical solution.

"We will earmark the money needed for these works, which I hope will be completed this year, for people to know that things have been fixed for a long time to come” Victor Ponta said.

The Prime Minister promised the locals that the Government would give them building materials to repair their houses and will allocate funds for the building of dams, for such disasters to no longer occur.

Farmers too have been severely hit by the heavy rains of late.

Thousands of hectares of crops may have been compromised in the south of the country, where soil humidity is high and where more rain is expected in the coming days as well.

Early this month, the Romanian Waters National Administration announced that 6% of Romania’s population lives in areas facing a high risk of flooding.

That is why specialists have drawn up hazard maps, covering 11 river basins in Romania.

The most vulnerable areas are the lower course of Siret River, in eastern Romania, the Banat area, in the southwest and the confluence of the Prut and the Danube in the south-east.

US Ambassador in Bucharest: F-35 airplanes will significantly contribute to Romania's security
News in English 21 Noiembrie 2024, 16:01

US Ambassador in Bucharest: F-35 airplanes will significantly contribute to Romania's security

Romania's decision to acquire the F-35 advanced fighter aircraft is an important step in the continued modernization of...

US Ambassador in Bucharest: F-35 airplanes will significantly contribute to Romania's security
The Government wants to reorganize the National Anti-Drug Agency
News in English 21 Noiembrie 2024, 16:00

The Government wants to reorganize the National Anti-Drug Agency

Romania has enough natural gas stocks to get through the cold season, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu assured at the start of...

The Government wants to reorganize the National Anti-Drug Agency
Changes to maritime strategy
News in English 21 Noiembrie 2024, 00:30

Changes to maritime strategy

In Constanta, the Romanian Naval Forces are organizing the annual international conference on maritime security in the Black...

Changes to maritime strategy
Two Dutch F-16 aircraft landed at Fetesti Air Base
News in English 21 Noiembrie 2024, 00:29

Two Dutch F-16 aircraft landed at Fetesti Air Base

Two F-16 aircraft from the Netherlands, the latest to join the European Training Center, have landed at the 86th Air Base in...

Two Dutch F-16 aircraft landed at Fetesti Air Base
Technological development of district heating power plants key to efficient heating
News in English 19 Noiembrie 2024, 22:23

Technological development of district heating power plants key to efficient heating

The key to efficient and safe home heating in the capital is the technological development of district heating power plants,...

Technological development of district heating power plants key to efficient heating
Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had a phone call with US President-elect Donald Trump
News in English 19 Noiembrie 2024, 22:21

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had a phone call with US President-elect Donald Trump

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu announced that on Tuesday evening he had a very good telephone conversation with the...

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had a phone call with US President-elect Donald Trump
Two teenagers in Romania's delegation to COP29
News in English 18 Noiembrie 2024, 21:54

Two teenagers in Romania's delegation to COP29

Two teenagers from Romania are taking part for the first time as members of a delegation at the United Nations Climate Change...

Two teenagers in Romania's delegation to COP29
Ciolacu: Romania and Bulgaria could join Schengen with land borders in January
News in English 18 Noiembrie 2024, 21:52

Ciolacu: Romania and Bulgaria could join Schengen with land borders in January

Romania and Bulgaria could join the European Schengen area of free movement with land borders also from January next year,...

Ciolacu: Romania and Bulgaria could join Schengen with land borders in January